The Utah Jazz's frontcourt has taken some big hits lately. After Walker Kessler bowed out early, the Jazz have since lost Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic for the season, and now Lauri Markkanen will be out for who knows how long. The Jazz electing to bring back Mo Bamba after being a training camp body with them shows that Markkanen's recent injury is legitimate.
ESPN's Shams Charania confirmed that Utah signed Bamba to a 10-day contract, indicating their plans to shore up their frontcourt (to some degree) while a good chunk of it is on the shelf.
7-footer Mo Bamba is signing a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports and Greer Love tell ESPN. Bamba spent time earlier this season with the Raptors and has averaged 17 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks for the Jazz’s NBA G League affiliate. pic.twitter.com/zjzVIstqaO
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 26, 2026
Bamba never lived up to the hype as a former high lottery pick, and his NBA career is running on fumes, but hey, at least he's been waiting for another chance like this. Will his maybe short tenure in Utah salvage his career? No, but hey, at least he gets another shot in the NBA.
More importantly, while many are skeptical about Markkanen's recent injury, given the timing and all the other Jazzmen who are out for the season, signing Bamba shows that no, he actually is hurt and will be out for at least a week.
His absence makes the Jazz even worse, which everyone knows by now is what they want, but that doesn't diminish how legitimate this is.
Bamba has had his ties with the Jazz all season
Again, Bamba was a training camp body with Utah this season. He didn't make the team, but even after he was cut, he signed with the Jazz's G-League affiliate, the SLC Stars.
Being a high lottery pick, Bamba is clearly a standout in the G-League. It comes as no surprise that he was averaging 17.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks while shooting nearly 57% from the field and nearly 40% from three.
No, he won't replicate those same numbers with the Jazz, as the NBA as an entirely different beast, but at least he will get a shot to prove he should still be in the league to some capacity.
It won't be like the Jazz will demand the best out of Bamba. The most they'll ask of him is to simply be a competent rotation big should he even get rotation minutes. Regardless, everyone should be rooting for him as he's been waiting for this and he's finally getting his chance.
It's a shame that said chance came to be because Markkanen got hurt, but it's still a chance nonetheless.