The new-look Utah Jazz will be without a key piece from last season for an extended stretch.

Jusuf Nurkic will be sidelined for at least four weeks after suffering a partial plantar plate tear of the second toe in his right foot, NBA on Prime insider Chris Haynes reported on Wednesday.

Nurkic, 32, averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists over 41 games last season, 36 of them starts.

It was a resurgent campaign for the six-foot-11 centre after he recorded eight-year lows in points (8.9) and rebounds (7.8) per game the previous season. However, he was ruled out for the rest of 2025-26 after undergoing nasal surgery in February.

Marquee trade deadline acquisition Jaren Jackson Jr. and off-season signing Jaxson Hayes stand to pick up the slack in the Jazz’s frontcourt in Nurkic’s absence.