Skip to content

Report: Jazz brass fear Burks' shoulder injury could be season-ending

Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Alec Burks has been ruled out for a third consecutive game Tuesday with a left shoulder injury, and the Utah Jazz are reportedly fearing the 23-year-old shooting guard could be out for much longer.

Utah is concerned that Burks could be sidelined long term and possibly for the remainder of the season, according to Marc Stein of ESPN. Burks was reportedly considering surgery on his shoulder earlier in the month, but intended to hold off until the offseason.

The fourth-year guard missed two games in early December with left shoulder inflammation after landing hard following a flagrant foul from Denver Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo. But Burks returned to average 15 points over his next nine games, shooting an improved 42.9 percent from long range before experiencing this latest setback.

Burks inked a four-year, $42-million contract extension in the offseason after coming off a career 2013-14 season. He hasn't taken the step forward the Jazz were hoping out of him, however, as his scoring has remained the same while logging more minutes, and his shooting percentage has suffered. The 6-foot-6 guard is shooting better from 3-point range and the free-throw line compared to a season ago, but he's shooting 40.3 percent from the field, down from a career-high mark of 45.7 percent during the 2013-14 campaign. 

Rookie Rodney Hood has started the last two games in place of Burks, and is averaging 6.5 points, six rebounds and 3.5 assists over that stretch.

Hood will likely continue to start for the Jazz - who host the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Energy Solutions Arena on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET - while Burks is sidelined.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox