It was already bad enough to see Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic miss the rest of the season to tend to their own ailments, but now, Vince Williams Jr will be out for this season and then some because of a torn ACL. It gets worse for him because not only will he miss a good chunk, but the Utah Jazz will likely waive his $3 million non-guaranteed contract this summer.
ESPN's Shams Charania confirmed that Williams had torn his ACL after his knee buckled following a rather curious collision with Tari Eason.
Utah Jazz guard Vince Williams Jr. has been diagnosed with a season-ending torn left ACL, sources tell ESPN. Williams sustained the injury in a collision with Tari Eason in Houston on Monday night.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 24, 2026
Williams was added in the JJJ trade in part because Utah was doing Memphis a favor by helping them clear out cap room, but his defensive pedigree made him more than just a throw-in. Williams has definitely shown he has the makings of a rotation player on a playoff contender.
Well that's a fun assist from Vince Williams Jr. pic.twitter.com/GqmivZfFfW
— Eric Spyropoulos (@EricSpyroNBA) February 21, 2026
He's a hustle player not afraid to get his hands dirty. He wouldn't have been among the Jazz's most important players, but with his inexpensive deal in a payroll that's about to get a whole lot more expensive would have made him even more crucial as a reinforcement.
But now that he's out for the rest of the season and maybe even the entirety of next season, the Jazz not only lost a player, but Williams will miss out on a few million dollars in the process.
Players typically don't get an NBA spot for sentimental reasons
It's a harsh and tragic reality, but when a player like Williams is out of commission, teams don't keep him out of compassion. They'd rather use his spot on someone who can play. Especially in their case, because they will fight for a good playoff spot next season.
Williams already had a team-friendly deal for next season at $3 million, which, if he were able to play, would have been a huge boost for them. But for that same reason, it also makes it easier for Utah to cut him, since he's not playing and the contract is non-guaranteed.
With all that said, there's still a solid chance Utah will give Williams another shot when he's got a clean bill of health. His time in the NBA definitely isn't over, but rather, on hiatus. Anyone familiar with Williams' story knows that he has worked himself to get as high up as he has, and something like a torn ACL shouldn't stop him.
It's that kind of mindset that Utah will definitely need in their locker room long-term, so when he's ready to come back, don't be surprised if the Jazz's first priority in 2027 is making sure he's with them.