Jazz center Jaren Jackson Jr. is expected to be out for 6 to 8 weeks.

The Utah Jazz officially announced on Tuesday that their star center, Jaren Jackson Jr., suffered a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee and will be re-evaluated in six weeks. According to ESPN sources, Jackson is expected to require six to eight weeks of recovery time.

The injury occurred during the Jazz's home game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome fell and collided with Jackson, causing Jackson's right knee to bend and deform under the impact, forcing him to leave the game. Jackson is a two-time All-Star and won the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year award.

The Jazz traded three first-round picks to acquire Jackson before last season's trade deadline, but he only played three games after joining the team before undergoing surgery to remove a benign tumor in his left knee. The management had hoped he would drive the team's performance this season, but this latest injury has disrupted their rotation plans.

Besides Jackson, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen also sprained his right wrist in the first half of the same game and is currently on the day-to-day list. Since the injury is to Markkanen's shooting hand, it will directly impact a three-point shooter's outside shooting percentage, and the team expects him to be out for an extended period.

The Jazz's frontcourt rotation is currently under considerable pressure. Starting center Jusuf Nurkic has yet to play this season due to a partial tear in the metatarsal plate of his right second toe and is expected to undergo a follow-up examination in early November. The injuries to several key rotation players in the paint will test the Jazz's recent lineup choices and roster depth.

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