Australian guard Dante Exum is to undergo surgery on his injured left shoulder, likely forcing him out of the entire upcoming NBA season and costing him millions of dollars on a new contract.
It is a devastating blow for Exum who separated his shoulder in what team-mate Joe Ingles described as a "freak" accident in a pre-season game for Utah Jazz against the Phoenix Suns on October 6.
The Jazz open their regular season against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday (Thursday noon AEDT).
"After further evaluation, Exum has elected to undergo surgery to stabilise the AC joint of his left shoulder," the Jazz said in a statement.
The surgery is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles next week.
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The 22-year-old from Melbourne was hoping to impress in what was the final year of his four-year contract with the Jazz.
Exum had sought different medical opinions, hoping to avoid surgery in order to play this season.
Exum was driving to the basket when he collided with TJ Warren and the Phoenix Suns forward fell on him as they crashed to the floor.
It is the second major injury of Exum's short career.
He sat out the entire 2015/16 season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his left knee while playing for the Australian national team in Europe.
Jazz and Australia team-mate Ingles signed a four-year, $US52 million contract in the off-season
San Antonio Spurs' back-up point guard Patty Mills also recently signed a four-year, $US50 million deal.
Ingles said last week Exum was "down" after coming to terms with the shoulder injury and trying to work out the correct medical way to repair it.
"He had his ACL and got back from that and then this was more of a freak thing if anything," Ingles told AAP.
"His body didn't give out.
"He got landed on.
"It was an unlucky fall I guess.
"For a guy to work so hard in the off-season to get to where he was and to be playing so well and help our team, it is very disappointing."
