Lauri Markkanen's Wrist Injury is Music to the Utah Jazz's Tanking Ears

Lauri Markkanen is officially questionable to return on Monday with a wrist injury, adding another highly convenient chapter to the Utah Jazz's masterclass in asset preservation.

Underdog NBA reported the mid-game status update, which immediately sends fantasy managers and live bettors scrambling to adjust their second-half expectations.

"Status alert: Lauri Markkanen (wrist) questionable to return Monday. (via @UnderdogNBA)"

Markkanen is the $46 million centerpiece of a Utah roster that is actively trying to lose basketball games. He is averaging 19.2 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 38.5 percent from deep this season, making him entirely too good to be playing heavy minutes for a front office dreaming of lottery balls.

The Jazz are currently sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 4-17 record. Team president Danny Ainge treats minor injuries to his best players the way normal people treat a check engine light on a leased car. You just park it in the garage and wait for the next model year.

Markkanen has already popped up on the injury report this season for everything from back ailments to knee contusions to generic injury management. A questionable tag for a wrist issue in a meaningless Monday game is basically a neon sign telling the betting markets that his night is probably over.

Do not expect Utah to rush their 7-foot franchise cornerstone back onto the floor if there is even a fraction of a risk. Every loss brings them one step closer to the Cooper Flagg draft sweepstakes, meaning Markkanen might just need a few extra days of rest to make sure that wrist is fully healed.