Markkanen Questionable as Jazz Face Wolves
Utah forward Lauri Markkanen is listed as questionable with a right wrist sprain as the 1-8 Jazz host the Timberwolves.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Basketball
The Utah Jazz (1-8) are on a seven-game losing streak, and Lauri Markkanen has been listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a right wrist sprain. Markkanen has played in eight of the Jazz's nine games this season and missed the loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 28.
Why it matters
Markkanen is the Jazz's leading scorer and a central piece of the roster, so his availability directly affects Utah's chances as it works to snap a long losing skid. The uncertainty around his wrist adds to the challenges facing a team that has won only once this season.
Markkanen has averaged 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 38.9 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from three this season. His 24-point performance in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks is his highest-scoring output noted so far, and the status of his next appearance remains unclear.
The players
Lauri Markkanen
Markkanen is a Finnish forward in his fifth season with the Jazz, who was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and was acquired in the 2022-23 trade that sent Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an NBA franchise based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are currently struggling with a 1-8 start to the 2026-27 season.
The details
Markkanen was listed on the Jazz injury report with a questionable designation for Sunday's game against the Timberwolves, citing a right wrist sprain. He missed Utah's Oct. 28 loss to the San Antonio Spurs because of the injury.
Timeline
Oct. 28, 2025: Markkanen missed the Jazz's loss to the Spurs due to the wrist injury.
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026: Jazz face the Timberwolves with Markkanen listed as questionable.
Season Trajectory
Acquired in the 2022-23 trade that sent Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland, Markkanen has become the centerpiece of Utah's rebuild. With the Jazz at 1-8 and on a seven-game skid, his health bears directly on whether the team can stabilize its season.
Fantasy managers and Jazz followers should check Markkanen's status closer to tipoff, since his availability will shape Utah's rotation and scoring options against Minnesota. A missed game would put more of the offensive load on the remaining Jazz players.
The takeaway
Markkanen's wrist status is the key variable for the Jazz this week, so fans should watch the final injury report before Sunday's tip. Keep an eye on how Utah's rotation adjusts if he sits out.
Further reading
For more on the team's season, see the Basketball section.
