The Utah Jazz have announced that their first round pick, rookie point guard Trey Burke out of Michigan will miss the next 8-12 weeks after fracturing his index finger. The finger required surgery, and pins were inserted in order to keep it in place.
It is a big blow for Burke who was the main point guard on the Jazz roster and expected to get big minutes and was one of the early favorites for NBA Rookie of the Year.
The timeline would mean he would miss anywhere from about 18-35 games this season.
The 20-year-old Burke, was the No. 9 pick in the NBA draft after spending two seasons at Michigan, where he earned National Player of the Year, First-Team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year honors as a sophomore.
“It’s unfortunate,” Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. “It’s part of the business getting hurt and seeing how he responds.”
Without Burke, the Jazz have only one natural point guard, John Lucas III, under contract. Scott Machado and Lester Hudson are both already in training camp on non-guaranteed contracts, while Alec Burks is also capable of playing the point in a pinch. Still the long term nature of the injury may have the Jazz exploring trade options before the start of season.
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