The Los Angeles Lakers have been without forward Jarred Vanderbilt since Feb. 1 of the 2023-24 season. And he only played 29 games that season, meaning he hasn’t been a consistent contributor for L.A. since their run to the Western Conference Finals in May of 2023.
Heel and knee injuries have kept him out of the lineup, and it feels as though any sign of progress is usually halted by some setback. But in recent weeks, all the news surrounding Vanderbilt continues to be positive. He is all the way up to playing 5-on-5 in practice, which means a full clear to return to basketball activities could be coming soon.
That would be a massive boost for the Lakers and head coach JJ Redick, who have been looking for anything to provide consistent improvement to a defense that has fallen in the bottom half of the league for nearly the entire season. But even when Vanderbilt is able to return, Redick warned against assuming an instant impact as he will be on a minutes restriction, according to Dan Woike of The L.A. Times:
“Obviously his defensive versatility and being able to guard up or down will be great for our group. But I would just say, initially coming back, it’s going to be in small doses,” Redick said. “That’s just the reality. He hasn’t played basketball in almost a year, we have to be cognizant of building him up for, hopefully, a playoff run.”
In order for the Lakers to get the full strength Vanderbilt back into their rotation, Redick believes two major things need to happen on Vanderbilt’s side of things:
“I think it starts with trusting your body, and that’s something that any athlete who has had a serious injury or had surgery knows. And it doesn’t happen in one game. It doesn’t happen in two games. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to really trust your body,” he said. “And then, the conditioning piece would probably be the other one. Those are probably the two biggest things.”
These are two of the biggest hurdles for any player coming off of significant injuries that require long stretches of missed time. Some players take full seasons — or longer — to recover mentally from those types of absences.
But the Lakers just need Vanderbilt to be his full self by the postseason, when the ability to defend elite guards becoming an essential part of winning in the Western Conference.
Lakers coach JJ Redick lost home in L.A. wildfires
The wildfires spreading throughout Southern California are terrible and causing a lot of damage to many homes and businesses everywhere. Many people and families are affected by this tragedy and one high-profile name that may be dealing with major loss is Redick.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick and his family, of course, have a home in the Palisades area and with these wildfires still having not been contained and spreading, the damage they can cause continues to grow. And unfortunately, it sounds as if Redick’s home was affected.
According to recent reports, Redick has lost his home in the fires sweeping through Southern California.
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!
