Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Out Thursday, set to debut Saturday
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Vanderbilt (foot) will remain out for Thursday's game against the Celtics but has been medically cleared to make his season debut Saturday against the Warriors, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Barring any unforeseen setbacks over the next few days, Vanderbilt should be ready to join the Los Angeles rotation Saturday after having missed the first 42 games of the season while recovering from surgeries this past May to address a right midfoot sprain and a bone spur in his left foot. Vanderbilt will presumably be facing heavy restrictions right out of the gate, but even once he's fully ramped up, he's likely not going to be asked to cover more than 15-to-20 minutes per game in most contests when the Lakers have all of Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Dorian Finney-Smith available.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Out vs. Wizards
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against Washington, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Vanderbilt has bounced between LA's G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, and the NBA club over the last few weeks to get extra work in, but he's not yet ready to return. His next chance to do so will arrive Thursday against Boston.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Recalled by Los Angeles
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Los Angeles recalled Vanderbilt (foot) from the G League's South Bay Lakers on Sunday.
Vanderbilt was getting some extra practice reps in South Bay as he continues to progress towards a return. He's been working his way back from May surgeries to address a right midfoot sprain and a bone spur in his left foot, and he's likely to have heavy restrictions once he gets the green light to return.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Won't return this week
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Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Monday that Vanderbilt (foot) isn't on track to play at any point during the team's four-game week, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.
While Redick notes Vanderbilt is progressing well and is "close" to making his season debut, the Lakers want to see the 25-year-old big man get in some more live action in practice before clearing him to play. Vanderbilt is working his way back from May surgeries to address a right midfoot sprain and a bone spur in his left foot. Once he's cleared to resume playing, Vanderbilt could unseat Jaxson Hayes in the rotation and join Dorian Finney-Smith as the Lakers' primary reserve options in the frontcourt.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Returns from G League stint
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The Lakers recalled Vanderbilt (foot) from the G League's South Bay Lakers on Friday, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Vanderbilt will rejoin the Lakers after going through practice with South Bay earlier Friday. The 25-year-old big man has yet to play this season while recovering from offseason surgeries on both of his feet but is progressing in his recovery. The 25-year-old forward is set to be re-evaluated next week before the Lakers determine his next steps.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Assigned to G League
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The Lakers assigned Vanderbilt (foot) to the G League's South Bay Lakers on Friday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
South Bay will hold practice before the parent club, allowing Vanderbilt to get in some extra on-court work. The 25-year-old began non-contact work in late December, and he hasn't seen game action since last February due to injuries -- and offseason surgeries -- to both feet. Vanderbilt is slated to be re-evaluated early next week before the Lakers determine his next steps.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Continues ramping up
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Vanderbilt (foot) participated in 5-on-5 practice Monday and will be re-evaluated in one week, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
After starting non-contact work in late December, Vanderbilt is ramping up his activity after undergoing right foot surgery this past offseason. His next step is to play against teammates in practice, and head coach JJ Redick said the Lakers will have another update soon. Until Vanderbilt is ready to return to the floor, players like Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes should continue serving as a regular members of Los Angeles' rotation.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Starts non-contact work
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Vanderbilt (foot) participated in non-contact work during Monday's practice, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Vanderbilt is inching closer to returning to the floor and making his season debut. He is finally back at practice, which is a good sign for the Lakers' depth in the frontcourt, but he remains a few hurdles away from game action.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Likely out until January
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Vanderbilt isn't expected to make his season debut until early January after developing fluid in his left knee during his rehab program for offseason procedures on both of his feet, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Back on Nov. 20, the Lakers announced that Vanderbilt had hit a snag in his ramp-up program, after he had taken longer than anticipated to recover from the pair of surgeries he underwent in May, one to address a right mid-foot sprain and another to remove a bone spur in his left foot. While Vanderbilt isn't dealing with any foot-related setbacks in the two weeks since that update, the left knee issue will further delay his 2024-25 debut. Vanderbilt was a key player for the Lakers when healthy during the 2023-24 season, averaging 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 20.0 minutes.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Out for at least two more weeks
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Vanderbilt's (foot) ramp-up process has gone slower than anticipated, and he'll be re-evaluated in a "couple weeks" from Wednesday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Vanderbilt underwent surgery on his right foot during the offseason, and his recovery has been slower than expected. He's yet to appear in a game this season and will need at least two weeks more before retaking the hardwood.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Remains out Tuesday
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Jazz, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.
Vanderbilt continues to work his way back from offseason procedures on both of his feet. His next chance to make his 2024-25 regular-season debut will be Thursday against the Magic, but Vanderbilt will need to increase his basketball activities before entertaining a return to game action.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Out at least another week
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Head coach JJ Redick said Friday that Vanderbilt (foot) is progressing, but the big man is still experiencing some "minor discomfort," Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports. "I don't think he's a day or two away from playing," Redick said. "We'll have another update in a week or so."
Vanderbilt has yet to suit up this season while recovering from offseason procedures on both of his feet. Though Redick stressed that Vanderbilt's discomfort is normal for a player recovering from an injury, the Lakers likely won't have a firm timeline for the 25-year-old to make his 2024-25 debut until he resumes practicing with contact.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Iffy for Opening Night
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Vanderbilt (foot) said Monday that he's not sure if he'll be ready for Opening Night, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
Vanderbilt had procedures on both feet during the offseason, and there's been some optimism that he could be ready to face Minnesota on Oct. 22 to open the season. Vanderbilt said his rehab process has been going great, and it will be interesting to see how he progresses throughout the preseason.
General manager Rob Pelinka said Wednesday that Vanderbilt had successful procedures on both feet this offseason, and there's optimism the forward will be ready for Opening Night against the Timberwolves on Oct. 22, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Pelinka added that Vanderbilt had a lingering bone spur that was also cleared up during the procedures, which happened right after the 2023-24 season concluded. Vanderbilt was a key piece during the Lakers' run to the Western Conference Finals two years ago, but last season, the forward struggled to stay on the court, making just 29 regular-season appearances. Vanderbilt brings a defensive versatility that is hard to come by and will certainly have a role if he's healthy on Opening Night, though probably not one worth fantasy relevance outside of deeper leagues prioritizing defensive stats.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Available for Game 5
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been cleared to play in Monday's Game 5 against the Nuggets, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Vanderbilt will have an opportunity to make his postseason debut after proving his health in pregame workouts. It's unclear as to how much he'll factor into the rotation after failing to see any action since Feb. 1, but he'll be ready to go if called upon.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Missing Game 3
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Vanderbilt (foot) won't play in Thursday's game against the Nuggets, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Vanderbilt was highly involved in the Lakers' shootaround Monday and appears to be nearing his first taste of game action since Feb. 1. However, he'll still be inactive for Thursday's Game 3, making Saturday's Game 4 Vanderbilt's next chance to go.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Won't play in Game 2
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been ruled out for Monday's Game 2 against the Nuggets, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Vanderbilt was recently seen wearing a walking boot, and he'll be sidelined for a second consecutive matchup to begin postseason play. His next chance to suit up will be in Thursday's Game 3.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Officially out for Game 1
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Vanderbilt (foot) won't play in Saturday's Game 1 against the Nuggets, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
Vanderbilt was spotted wearing a walking boot as a precaution during Friday's practice but will continue to be considered day-to-day as the Lakers navigate through their opening-round series. His next chance to suit up will arrive Monday.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Spotted in walking boot
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Vanderbilt (foot) was wearing a walking boot during Friday's practice, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Previous reports suggested Vanderbilt is getting close to a return, which is why it was curious to see him wearing a boot. However, coach Darvin Ham stated after practice that the boot is simply a "precautionary measure," per Jovan Buha of The Athletic, and the forward hasn't suffered a setback. The team has yet to provide a concrete timeline for Vanderbilt's return, simply stating that he's being considered day-to-day.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Remains out
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been ruled out for Tuesday's Play-In Game against the Pelicans.
Vanderbilt's defensive efforts were a key part of the Lakers' run to the Western Conference Finals last season. However, he has been unavailable for most of 2023-24, playing just 29 regular-season games (six appearances). Vanderbilt hasn't played since Feb. 1, so his continued absence shouldn't impact coach Darvin Ham's rotation.
