Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen had an early evening on Thursday, as he was forced to exit in the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Delta Center due to a wrist injury.
It happened just six minutes into the game, with Markkanen trying to defend Cameron Boozer. Markkanen did not return. The Jazz lost to the Grizzlies, 110-105, and fell to 1-3.
The 29-year-old Markkanen will undergo further testing to determine the severity of his wrist injury.
For Dr. Ribu Thomas, a physical therapist, there are two possibilities.
“Path A: Sprain or bruise. X-rays clean, grip and push off a hand pain-free, back Wednesday versus San Antonio (Spurs) or soon after, maybe taped,” wrote Thomas on X.
“Path B: Scapholunate ligament or scaphoid. Snuffbox tenderness or a painful scaphoid shift test means MRI, a splint, and a timeline in weeks. A scaphoid crack can hide on day-one X-rays.”
He shared that he is leaning toward the first one.
“Takeaway: I lean A, but it is close. He stayed upright, and nothing looked out of place, so a sprain fits best. Being ruled out keeps B very alive until imaging clears the scaphoid and that ligament,” added Ribu.
Article Continues BelowMarkkanen has struggled to stay on the court due to various ailments. He has never played more than 68 games in a season since entering the NBA in 2017.
Last season, the one-time All-Star was limited to 42 games, averaging a career-high 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals.
If Markkanen is sidelined for an extended period, Kyle Filipowski, Brice Sensabaugh, and Josh Okogie are expected to step up.

