Jazz Granted Disabled Player Exception As Result Of Taylor Hendricks Injury

The Jazz have been dealt a significant setback, but the NBA has granted them a small measure of relief.

Following the injury to promising second-year forward Taylor Hendricks, the league approved a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) worth $2,924,340 — half of Hendricks’ 2024-25 salary, as relayed by Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

And make no mistake, this isn’t handed out lightly. The NBA only grants a DPE when it’s more likely than not that the player will miss the rest of the season. In Hendricks’ case, that’s now all but certain.

Hendricks’ season-ending injury came on October 28. In a moment that had Jazz fans wincing, he slipped while trying to stop his momentum, resulting in a fractured right fibula and a dislocated ankle. The severity of the injury left no doubt that Utah would be without one of their key young pieces for the remainder of the campaign.

With the DPE in hand, the Jazz have until March 10 to make a move. They can sign, trade for, or claim off waivers for a player whose contract fits within the exception amount. But there’s a catch, and it’s a big one.

Any player acquired this way must be on an expiring contract, with no team or player options attached if brought in via trade or waiver claim. If the Jazz decide to sign a free agent, it’s strictly for a rest-of-season deal.

For Utah, this opens a narrow window of opportunity. The front office now has some breathing room to look for a veteran presence or an under-the-radar contributor who can plug the gap left by Hendricks’ absence.

But as March 10 looms on the horizon, it’s clear that every move they make from here will be under the microscope. It’s a pivotal moment for the Jazz’s season, and how they respond could set the tone for their push forward without one of their most promising talents.

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