The 2025-26 season hasn't even started, and yet several devastating injuries have already occurred in the past week. The Houston Rockets have lost Fred VanVleet for the season because of an ACL tear, and the Portland Trail Blazers will likely lose Scoot Henderson to start the season. Now the Utah Jazz are in the same group, as Georges Niang will also miss some time following his latest injury.
The Jazz announced that Niang suffered a metatarsal injury that will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Georges Niang Injury Update:
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) September 27, 2025
Niang suffered a fourth metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot during offseason training and conditioning. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.
📓| https://t.co/Wo7NWnNTX3#TakeNote
Now, whether this will become a real problem for Utah remains to be seen. While it doesn't sound like it, it is unfortunate that this setback had to occur so soon after the Jazz reacquired Niang to serve as a good locker room mentor to their young talent this season. He will likely be back in no time, but this obviously isn't how Utah wanted to start the next Niang chapter.
Niang isn't the worst loss the Jazz could have suffered before the season, but he is one of the few steady veterans on the roster that's swimming in youth and potential.
Here's to hoping Niang is the only preseason injury the Jazz have
The Jazz losing Niang for what will likely only be a few weeks isn't as bad as Houston losing VanVleet (the projected starting point guard on a title contender) or Portland losing Henderson (his third season could be a difference maker in how things turn out for them).
However, with so many injuries piling up before the season starts, let's all hope that in the Jazz's case, the injury bug starts and ends with Niang. It would be a shame that, following his EuroBasket dominance, the Jazz don't get to see Lauri Markkanen return to his All-Star form this season.
Just like it would be awful to not see Ace Bailey prove the league was wrong to doubt him at the draft, or for Kyle Filipowski to not further ascend in the NBA ranks, or for Keyonte George to not get one more chance to prove he can be a staple of the Jazz's future, or... well, you get the point.
Luckily, Utah hasn't had a history of terrible injury luck before the season started, though they've definitely had ill-timed injuries happen at the worst time. Considering what other injuries other teams have already gone through, it could be much worse for the Jazz right now.
Here's to hoping this won't be a jinx in the end. No one is above being superstitious...