Reeling Jazz strive to push forward following Taylor Hendricks' horrific injury

On a fateful Monday night, Hendricks sprinted down the court towards the baseline when suddenly he tripped and tumbled awkwardly onto his leg. In a horrific turn of events, he ended up breaking his right fibula, dislocating his ankle, and letting out a cry of disbelief as he watched his foot and leg move in opposite directions.

Several Jazz players had tears in their eyes and covered their heads with towels during an extended break where the medical staff took Hendricks off on a stretcher. They lost to the Mavericks 110-102 and now face a rebuilding season without a defensive centerpiece.

“A bunch of us were visibly rattled. It was really hard to see,” Utah coach Will Hardy said Tuesday. “Everybody processes those things differently. Everybody needs to pick each other up at different moments.”

After the Jazz chose him at No. 9 in the 2023 Draft, Hendricks spent about half his rookie campaign in the G League before breaking into the rotation later in the season. In the first three games this season, Hendricks was in the starting lineup and taking the assignment of guarding the other team’s most potent threat, shadowing the likes of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Ja Morant.

“There are some voids with Taylor that we now need to try and fill,” Hardy said.

The Jazz staff is still determining an optimal surgery date with further testing. Similar injuries have taken a year or more for full recovery.

“Taylor is a pretty upbeat and positive person. So he is seemingly in good spirits. He’s taking it all with a lot of maturity … but I’m sure there will be moments of frustration,” Hardy said about the impending rehabilitation.

Hendricks’ first offseason was focused on making the second-year leap and he spent most of his summer in Salt Lake City gaining muscle, agility and refining his shot.

“Your first season in the NBA, if you are in the rotation at all, gives you experience but the biggest thing it gives you is perspective that the world no longer revolves around you. You are trying to solidify yourself as an NBA player and you’re probably taking on a different role that you’ve ever had on any team,” Hardy said.

Utah guard Keyonte George mentioned how Hendricks willingly gave up offensive opportunities use his energy on the defensive end. There isn’t really any other player like that on the roster, but rookie Cody Williams, who stopped by Hendricks’ house on his way to the arena Tuesday, stepped into the starting lineup against Sacramento.

“It’s so sad. I don’t think anyone really wants to get minutes that way,” said Kyle Filipowski, who scored his first NBA points and finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.

For the foreseeable future, Hendricks will be busy recovering while the Jazz try to find their way.

“Everyone needs to pray for him and we need to be around him,” center Walker Kessler said haltingly after Monday’s game. “T is a really good dude and he’s worked his tail off. We all care about T a lot, but the season doesn’t stop.”

The season indeed continued for the dejected Jazz without Hendricks on Tuesday with their fourth straight loss, this time to Sacramento 113-96 at home. To make things worse, Utah star Lauri Markkanen left the game at halftime with back spasms but it isn’t expected to be serious.

“We have to recalibrate,” Hardy said of plugging young players into new spots that they may not be prepared to handle.