Jaren Jackson Jr. tore the MCL in his right knee during Monday’s loss to Memphis, and the Utah Jazz said Tuesday that his next evaluation will come in six weeks. Lauri Markkanen came away with a sprained right wrist and is listed as day-to-day.

Only four games into the season, Utah’s frontcourt has taken another serious hit. The Jazz confirmed on Tuesday that Jackson suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee in the 110-105 defeat to the Grizzlies, and the club will not reassess him until six weeks have passed.

According to CBS Sports, the injury happened in the first quarter when Ty Jerome fell into Jackson’s knee, and ESPN reported that no surgery will be needed. The Deseret News added that ESPN expects him to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

Markkanen avoids a long layoff

Markkanen hurt his wrist in the opening quarter while working to get around a screen. Neither forward returned to the game, and the two combined for only 16 minutes on the floor. The team’s medical statement ended with a simple line: “Updates will be provided when appropriate.”

For a club that has started 1-3, the wrist diagnosis is the one piece of good news in the update. Markkanen remains Utah’s go-to scorer, and a day-to-day label means he could be back on the floor soon.

A thin group of bigs gets thinner

The timing is rough because Utah was already short on size. Jusuf Nurkić, who was projected to start at center, is out with a right foot injury that the Jazz list as a second plantar plate tear on their latest injury report. The Deseret News, citing ESPN, said he is due to be re-evaluated in early November.

The team’s long-term option in the middle left over the summer. After a contract standoff, Utah sent Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade that returned a pair of first-round picks plus two pick swaps, and Kessler has impressed early in Los Angeles. Until Nurkić is healthy, the Jazz will likely have to lean on Jaxson Hayes, Mo Bamba and Kyle Filipowski up front.

Early test for a team with bigger goals

This season was supposed to be a step forward after years of rebuilding. Keyonte George broke out last season and the Jazz added Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick, which raised hopes of at least a Play-In run. Instead, Utah ranks 25th in the league on defense so far, and Jackson was the rim protector at power forward that the scheme was built around.

The front office does hold extra draft capital from the Kessler deal if it wants to go shopping. Early-season trades are rare, though, and a large share of the league is still ineligible to be moved after signing new contracts this offseason. Follow our Utah Jazz coverage and the latest Jaren Jackson Jr. news for updates as the six-week checkpoint approaches.