If one were cynical, one would point out that this news came down just after the tanking-to-hold-on-to-their-pick Jazz won two in a row despite sitting Jaren Jackson Jr. — and Lauri Markkanen — in the fourth quarters of those games.
Utah’s Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for the remainder of the season and “will undergo surgery to remove a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) growth in his left knee,” the team announced Thursday.
The team said the growth was identified on an MRI during Jackson’s post-trade physical. The team reportedly consulted medical experts, as well as Jackson and his representation, before deciding to have the surgery now, during the All-Star break.
A PVNS growth is a rare and benign (noncancerous), it does not spread to other parts of the body. The Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine center in Kansas City adds this: “PVNS is a progressive joint disease that gradually worsens and can cause bone damage and arthritis. In a healthy joint, the synovium produces a small amount of fluid that lubricates the cartilage and aids in joint movement. However, in PVNS, the synovium produces extra fluid, causing swelling in the joint and making movement very painful.”
It’s still difficult not to find the timing very convenient for the Jazz.
Utah owes its first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it is top-eight protected. Utah wants to hold on to that pick so it can add one more high draft pick to its young core of Keyonte George, Ace Bailey and Walker Kessler (out injured for the season). That young group, paired with a front line of Jackson and Markkanen, looks like a playoff team in the West on paper — Utah has signaled it’s done with the losing part of its rebuild and wants to start winning… but not until next season.
Currently the Jazz would enter the NBA Draft Lottery with the sixth-worst record in the league, and with that a 96.2% chance of retaining their pick. However, with a third of the league now tanking heading into what is projected to be one of the best and deepest drafts in years, the Jazz need to keep losing to ensure they hold that position and don’t worsen their odds of giving that pick to OKC.
Which led the Jazz to come up with a loophole in the league’s Player Participation Policy that forces them to play recent All-Stars Markkanen and Jackson — the Jazz did play them for 25 minutes a night through the first three quarters, then benched all their stars in the fourth. That strategy opened the door for Orlando to come from behind in the fourth and beat Utah last weekend.
Now Jackson is out for the remainder of the season, which is a short-term plus for Utah. Jackson, a former Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging 19.4 points plus grabbing 5.7 rebounds and blocking 1.4 blocks per game this season — he helps teams win. He and Markkanen form an All-Star-level front court.
Which Jazz fans are very excited about and want to see — but not until next season.
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