Alec Burks Injury: Updates on Jazz Guard's Possible Concussion, Ankle and Return

Utah Jazz guard Alec Burks left a Dec. 26 game against the Los Angeles Clippers after suffering ankle and head injuries. Burks was determined to have fractured his ankle and will undergo surgery. It is uncertain when he will be able to return to action.

Continue for updates.

---

Burks Undergoes Surgery

Tuesday, Dec. 29

Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune reported Burks had surgery on his broken ankle on Tuesday. 

---

Burks Diagnosed with Fractured Ankle

Sunday, Dec. 27

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported Burks "will likely miss a minimum of six weeks," citing a league source.

---

Burks Once Again Dealing with Long-Term Injury

In his fifth NBA season, Burks is coming off a 2014-15 campaign that saw him miss 55 games. He suffered a severe shoulder injury in December 2014, which required surgery and left him with a ton to prove heading into this season.

"He's very important to us and very important to the team as a whole," Jazz forward Derrick Favors said in September, per Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune. "Alec's that guy who doesn't need plays to score a bunch of points. He can get the ball on a rebound and go. He plays with a lot of energy and he has a way of getting the crowd going with all of those crazy layups that he does."

Because he still has not settled into an NBA position—Burks is 6'6" but appears most comfortable with the ball in his hands—the Jazz have an interesting quandary on their hands.

They've drafted point guards in Trey Burke and Dante Exum who have yet to make an impact, while Burks also remains an enigma. The team's decision to reward Burks with a $42 million extension looks fine now that we know the salary cap is ballooning, but his injury issues and position are concerning.