The Jazz big man will be sidelined six to eight weeks with a torn MCL suffered against the Grizzlies, who also just saw Lauri Markkanen go down with a sprained wrist.
Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered a torn MCL in his right knee during Utah's game against Memphis on Oct. 26 and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks, the Jazz announced.
The injury happened early in the second quarter when Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome drove to the basket, was fouled, and fell into Jackson's right knee. Jackson tried to play through it for a couple of possessions before asking to come out of the game.
The timing stings for Utah, which was already thin up front. The team has played just four games this season, and now adds Jackson to a frontcourt injury list that also includes Lauri Markkanen, who is dealing with a sprained wrist, according to sources.
For Jackson, the injury carries extra weight given the opponent. He was drafted No. 4 overall by Memphis in 2018 and spent nearly eight seasons there, earning two All-Star selections and the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year award before being traded to Utah in February of last season. This marked just the second meeting between Jackson and his former team.