Jazz big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to reportedly miss 6-8 weeks, which stings even more after Walker Kessler move

Utah has only played four games, but is already hurting for frontcourt depth Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered a torn MCL in his right knee on Monday and will be sidelined 6-8 weeks, according to ESPN. Jackson's injury, which came in the first quarter of Monday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies when Ty Jerome fell into his knee, will not require surgery. That wasn't the only front-court injury Utah sustained in the loss, as Lauri Markkanen injured his wrist attempting to get around a screen in the first quarter. His status is not known at this time. Neither returned to the game as they played just 16 combined minutes in the defeat.

Even if Markkanen avoids serious injury, Jackson's absence puts the Jazz in an enormously difficult situation, considering the direction their offseason took. After a contract standoff with former starting center Walker Kessler, the Jazz elected to sign-and-trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers for two first-round picks and two first-round swaps. It's early, but Kessler has been spectacular for the Lakers, and his absence left the Jazz without a long-term option at center. Short-term starter Jusuf Nurkić is also injured, and now, the Jazz are without Jackson, their rim-protecting power forward. Utah has spent the bulk of the past four seasons tanking. This season carried at