Just a few weeks after acquiring the star big man, the Utah Jazz are likely set to be without Jaren Jackson Jr. until the 2026-27 NBA season.
The team announced Thursday that Jackson will undergo surgery to remove a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) growth in his left knee. He is "likely" to miss the rest of the 2025-26 season, per Chris Haynes.
Jackson's growth was discovered in a post-trade physical, per the Jazz.
Here's what to know about the reason Jackson will be sidelined in the coming months.
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What is Jaren Jackson Jr's injury?
Jackson has a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) growth in his left knee, per the Jazz.
The team announced that the growth was "identified in a post-trade physical with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)." After consulting with medical experts, Jackson and the team determined he would have a procedure for the growth over the All-Star break.
What is a localized PVNS growth?
Per OrthoInfo, PVNS is "a condition that causes the synovium—the thin layer of tissue that lines the joints and tendons—to thicken and overgrow." The overgrowth does not spread to other parts of the body, but it is considered a "progressive disease," and it can lead to bone damage and arthritis.
PVNS often affects the knee, with surgery typically required to remove the mass. The cause of it is not known.
Specifically, a "localized" PVNS growth means the tumor involves the tendons that support the joint or it occurs in just one area of the joint. "Diffuse" PVNS means the condition involves an entire joint.
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Is a PVNS growth cancerous?
A PVNS growth is not cancerous. It does not spread to other parts of the body either.
Localized PVNS can cause pain, instability and swelling in the joint, per OrthoInfo, and it can be diagnosed through tests like X-rays, MRIs or a joint aspiration.
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Jaren Jackson Jr. surgery
Jackson will have surgery to remove the growth in his left knee, per the Jazz. It will take place " in the coming days over NBA All-Star break."
The eighth-year forward landed with the Jazz in one of the trade deadline's biggest deals, as he was sent out from the Memphis Grizzlies alongside Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. in exchange for three first-round draft picks, Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks and Georges Niang.
Jackson has made just three appearances for the Jazz so far, averaging 19.4 points and 1.4 blocks per game. Now, he's set to miss an extensive period for Utah.
How long will Jaren Jackson Jr. be out?
The Jazz did not provide a timetable for Jackson, saying that he is "expected to make a full recovery," but he's likely to be off the court for Utah until next fall.
Chris Haynes reported that Jackson is "likely to miss the remainder of the season."
BREAKING: Utah Jazz star Jaren Jackson Jr. is likely to miss the remainder of the season to undergo surgery on his left knee to ensure his longterm health after a localized PVNS growth was discovered post trade, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/pHeJT8NphE
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 12, 2026
Other athletes with localized PVNS growths
Another known athlete to deal with PVNS in the past was British Olympian Lizzy Yarnold, who had an operation to address the joint condition and was expecting a "return to training in a few weeks" in March 2018, per BBC.