Lauri Markkanen is day-to-day with neck soreness and will not play in Tuesday night's preseason game against the Nuggets. The Jazz list an expected return date of Oct. 12, leaving the rotation to cover his minutes in the meantime.
What happened
Markkanen landed on the Jazz's injury report Tuesday at 9:04 p.m. ET as day-to-day, listed under neck and head. The report states Markkanen won't play in Tuesday's preseason game against the Nuggets due to neck soreness. It lists an expected return date of Oct. 12. No previous status for this issue is listed, and Markkanen's age and position are listed as 29 and F-C.
What it means for the Jazz
Without Markkanen for Tuesday's preseason game against the Nuggets, Utah is missing the 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists he averaged in 34.3 minutes a game last season. In games without him, Walker Kessler, Keyonte George, Kennedy Chandler and Ace Bailey have logged the heaviest minutes, with Kessler averaging 30.8 minutes and 14.4 points and George averaging 33.1 minutes and 23.6 points. The Jazz have not started the 2026-27 regular season, sitting at 0-0, so there is no record with or without Markkanen to cite yet.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Markkanen's neck soreness has cleared. The Jazz have listed an expected return date of Oct. 12. Utah is also carrying day-to-day tags for Josh Green (knee), Kyle Filipowski (back) and Brice Sensabaugh (hip) on the same report as the preseason schedule continues.
Is Lauri Markkanen playing vs Nuggets?
No. The Jazz list Markkanen as day-to-day with neck soreness, and he will not play in Tuesday's preseason game against the Nuggets.
When will Lauri Markkanen be back?
The Jazz's injury report lists an expected return date of Oct. 12.