Trey Burke Could Miss The First Three Months Of The Season With A Broken Finger

The Utah Jazz have about as much of a shot to play in next year’s Finals as any member of Congress does at winning a Nobel Prize. If there was a bright spot, however, it was seeing rookie Trey Burke attempt to form some sort of chemistry with big men Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. Even that’s on ice now, possibly until the top of 2014. The rookie point guard from Michigan broke his right index finger Saturday versus the Clippers. The original prognosis was initially believed to only be three weeks.

As it turns out, the Jazz announced Monday Burke would have surgery to repair a fractured bone multiplying recovery time to an estimated eight-to-12 weeks. This would leave his expected return anywhere between December 6 and January 14.

The Jazz aren’t bursting from the seams in point guard depth. Conventional thought says John Lucas III will start during Burke’s absence. From there, Scott Machado and Lester Hudson round out one hell of a bleak point guard rotation. What’s all this mean? Taking into account Burke’s time away and Utah’s schedule, floor generals like Deron Williams, Jrue Holiday, Steph Curry, Tony Parker, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose could very well have field days.*

At any rate, with the ninth overall pick sidelined perhaps until after New Year’s Day, expiring contracts in veterans who could possibly be shipped before the trade deadline to contenders in search of bench scoring (Richard Jefferson, Brandon Rush and the incomparable Marvin “Let’s take him before CP3 & Deron” Williams), forgive all 37 Jazz fans if they’re already looking forward to next May’s lottery.

Your move, Philly.

* – Chances are they were going to anyway, but take this fantasy basketball advice and thank me later. Also, I absolutely suck at fantasy basketball.

Photo: Getty

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