Mo Bamba Could Carve Out Early Role in Utah Jazz Rotation

The Utah Jazz's rotation is going to look a little different than initially expected heading into the 2026-27 NBA season.

That's because of the foot injury suffered by veteran big man and expected starting center Jusuf Nurkic in the midst of the preseason––effectively sidelining him for multiple weeks, and thus taking him out of the opening night starting lineup and rotation entirely.

Adding onto Nurkic's absence, there's a chance that Kyle Filipowski misses time at the start of the season as well, who has yet to play in a preseason game as he's been rehabbing from the back surgery he underwent earlier this offseason.

So really, the Jazz's big man depth could be a bit shallow from day one, which means Will Hardy might have to get a bit more creative through the first couple of weeks of the season to ensure this rotation is well-rounded enough to stay afloat without two of their rotational bigs.

And with those factors in mind, the door becomes wide open for Jazz center Mo Bamba to find his way into the opening night rotation.

Mo Bamba Has Chance to Crack Jazz's Opening Night Rotation

When looking at Bamba's recent track record in the league, he hasn't exactly been a staple in the rotation throughout his past few destinations.

Bamba has only played in 93 regular season games over the past three years. Last season, he was primarily in the G League outside of the four games he played split between the Jazz and the Toronto Raptors.

And in those limited opportunities last season, Bamba played in around 11 minutes a game to average a combined 2.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks while shooting 45.5% from the field.

Oct 6, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Mo Bamba (44) warms up prior to a game against the Denver Nuggets at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So on the surface, Bamba might not be at the top of mind when it comes to projecting the Jazz's opening night rotation––especially when considering he's signed onto a non-guaranteed contract.

But until the Jazz have both Filipowski and Nurkic back into the lineup later this season, which might not be until early-to-mid November, it's hard not to account for Bamba as someone who could fill minutes at the five position in a pinch.

He has the size and length that the Jazz could certainly use at that position while shorthanded, while also providing some rebounding and interior defense this rotation could be lacking in the meantime.

During the Jazz's last preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs, it was Bamba who was one of 12 players to get 10 minutes or more throughout the night. And he wound up performing pretty solidly: nine points on 4-4 shooting, nine rebounds, two assists, and a block.

Of course, while it's just an exhibition matchup, those minutes could be a hint of what Hardy's plans are for opening night. And giving Bamba a bit of run at the five to bring that size this rotation could benefit from immensely, at least until this roster is back to 100% health.

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