12-Year NBA Veteran Out for Season After Nose Surgery

And with that, Jusuf Nurkic’s season is officially over. The Utah Jazz will be without their center for the rest of the season following nose surgery to repair a deviated septum. Nurkic had started 36-of-41 games for the Jazz this season.

“He has had a really bad deviated septum in his nose,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said. “He has gotten hit in the face four or five times this year. His recent sickness has pushed that forward. It’s something that he’s needed to get done for a while now, so he’s going to get it taken care of.”

Hardy added: “Nurk has been a big part of what we’ve done this year, and he helps our team in a bunch of ways.”

NBA insider Chris Haynes was the first to report the news.

Examining Jusuf Nurkic’s Career

The 31-year-old Bosnian is playing for his fifth franchise in his 12 year career. Nurkic, who was taken with the 16th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, is likely entering the tail end of his career.

Injuries have plagued his career, most notably the gruesome leg fracture in 2019.

The “Bosnian Beast” has carved out a long, productive NBA career. Over 631 career regular-season games, he has averaged 11.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. With the Portland Trail Blazers, Nurkic was one of the league’s most skilled traditional centers.

He averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and a career-best 4.8 assists per game this season.

What’s Next for the Utah Jazz This Season and Beyond

The 18-40 Jazz are in 13th place in the Western Conference and all but eliminated from NBA postseason contention already. They likely have their sights set on next season and beyond being 26.5 games behind the first-place defending NBA champion on Western Conference first place Oklahoma City Thunder and 9.5 games back of the 10th seed LA Clippers. The Jazz have also lost three straight and seven of their last 10 games.

However, there are some positives Jazz fans can cling to.

Utah has the third-lowest player salary in the league, opening the door to offseason acquisitions once free agency begins. They will also likely be selecting near the top of a loaded 2026 NBA Draft class.

Whether Nurkic remains a long-term option in Utah is unclear. The Jazz are firmly in rebuild mode as they look to improve from a lackluster season.

In the interim, the Jazz will lean on its younger frontcourt players for the final 24 games of the regular season. With any postseason dreams long gone, the focus will be on finding out what pieces will be carried over to next year’s team.

The front office will also continue assessing trade flexibility, expiring contracts, and potential draft capital as it shapes a clearer path forward.

For Nurkic, the focus shifts to recovery and preparation for next season and the remainder of his career. When healthy, he remains a valuable veteran presence, rebounder, defender, and facilitator. But with the organization in full rebuild mode, his future with the Jazz may ultimately depend on timeline fit as much as production.

Alex Shoemaker Alex Shoemaker is a seasoned sports journalist and digital content strategist with more than a decade of experience in newsrooms and digital media. He has covered a wide range of sports, including March Madness, the Olympic Trials, and local high school athletics. He began his journalism career covering high school and community sports, developing a reputation for sharp storytelling and precise design that earned awards for both writing and pagination. More about Alex Shoemaker