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: Takes part in shooting drills
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Vanderbilt (foot) was spotted participating in light shooting drills following Sunday's practice, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.
Vanderbilt doesn't appear to be all that close to a return to play just yet, but he's trending in the right direction. If all goes well in his rehab, the forward should continue to ramp up basketball activities over the next week or so, at which point another update is expected to surface.
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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: To miss start of season
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Coach JJ Redick said Thursday that Vanderbilt's (foot) status will be updated in two weeks, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
The Lakers were hopeful that Vanderbilt would be ready for the start of the regular season Tuesday against the Timberwolves, but following Thursday's update, he's set to miss at least the first five matchups of the 2024-25 campaign. Redick noted that Vanderbilt hasn't suffered any sort of setback and his return-to-play progression is going well, so perhaps the team's initial timetable for a return was a bit ambitious.
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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: Questionable for Game 5
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Vanderbilt (foot) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Nuggets, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.
Vanderbilt has yet to appear in the playoffs for the Lakers, who find themselves on the brink of elimination. This is the first time Vanderbilt has not immediately been ruled out, so he seems to be trending towards a return.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Won't play in Game 4
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Vanderbilt (foot) won't play in Saturday's Game 4 versus Denver, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Although Vanderbilt has ramped up his activity at practice, he'll remain on the sidelines as the Lakers attempt to keep their season alive Saturday.
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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.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Out again Sunday
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Vanderbilt (foot) will not play Sunday against the Pelicans, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
Vanderbilt has been sidelined since early February due to a mid-foot sprain, but recent reports have suggested that he's getting closer to a return. There will likely be an update on his progress after the weekend.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Will remain sidelined Friday
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been ruled out for Friday's game against Memphis.
Vanderbilt has been sidelined since early February due to a mid-foot sprain, but he's been trending toward a return in recent days. He's scheduled to have his injury re-evaluated soon, but it seems relatively unlikely that he'll be available for Sunday's regular-season finale against New Orleans. However, it's possible Vanderbilt is back in action sometime during the postseason.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Remains out
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Wizards, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
Vanderbilt has been ramping up his conditioning, but it's unclear when he'll be cleared to play again. His last appearance was Feb. 1, so even if he gets the green light soon, he'll presumably be limited for at least a few games.
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Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt: Still out
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Vanderbilt (foot) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Raptors, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Vanderbilt hasn't played since Feb. 1 due to a right mid-foot sprain. However, he's ramping up his conditioning and nearing a return to game action. Vanderbilt's next chance to suit up will come Wednesday in Washington.
