The Los Angeles Lakers have been missing some key pieces this season as Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood have notably not yet made their 2024-25 debuts.
Both have taken longer than expected to heal from foot and knee injuries, respectively, but appear to finally be making progress. Lakers head coach JJ Redick recently revealed that Wood would begin doing some on-court work with coaches, and the latter was seen doing exactly that after practice on Monday.
Vanderbilt appears to be a little further along that Wood as Redick said that he was able to get in some non-contact work during practice.
“Vando was able to get on the court for some non-contact stuff, parts of practice today. So he’s trending in the right direction,” Redick said.
While it’s great to see Vanderbilt trending in the right direction, he still has some steps to take before being able to return so it is not imminent, per Dan Woike of the L.A. Times:
Nothing imminent in terms of a return for Vando, but progress is progress. https://t.co/ROBDBs8rKn
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 30, 2024
It seems that both Wood and Vanderbilt may be around a couple of weeks away from potentially returning, which would give the Lakers some much-needed frontcourt depth.
The team also recently completed a trade to acquire Dorian Finney-Smith so between him, Vanderbilt and Max Christie, they currently have the strongest group of wing defenders they possibly have ever had.
JJ Redick: Dorian Finney-Smith will come off bench for Lakers
With the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith and potential return of Jarred Vanderbilt on the horizon, JJ Redick was asked about the possibility of another starting lineup change and revealed he plans to keep the same group of Austin Reaves, Max Christie, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Anthony Davis for now.
“Yeah, I already talked to [Finney-Smith] about it. You know, we’re in a good spot with our starting group right now,” Redick said. “So, he’ll play and he’ll come off the bench, and like I’ve told you guys several times, I want consistency with that group, but I’m not gonna be stubborn and locked into something if it’s not working. But it’s working right now, and Doe is a guy that can fit in very easily with any lineup and any sort of roster. He’s easy. He has a desire to win and compete and it doesn’t matter to him if he’s starting or coming off the match.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
