Jarred Vanderbilt injury update: Latest on Lakers wing's return status (Nov. 21)

Jarred Vanderbilt's return to the hardwood will see some delay. Recent reports saw the LA Lakers address his recovery timeline saying his progress after his foot procedure in May this year has gone slower than expected. While there has been no setback listed, the wing will be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks. With this, the Lakers are set to miss their defensive specialist as they brace for a challenging set of games coming up.

The latest update also rules him out for LA's upcoming matchup against the Orlando Magic at the Crypto.com Arena on Thursday (Nov. 21). Vanderbilt has been a notable absentee as the Lakers have struggled on defense without his services.

He underwent surgery on both his feet and has been on the mend since. With both Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood out of the lineup, LA has heavily relied on Anthony Davis, Jaxson Hayes, and the guard duo of Gabe Vincent and Max Christie to shore up on defense.

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JJ Redick had revealed Jarred Vanderbilt was a key part of the Lakers' plans for the NBA 2024-25 season

Earlier, Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke about Jarred Vanderbilt and the plans he had for the wing when he would suit up for the team at some point in the season. Speaking to Lakers reporter Mike Trudell, the former sharpshooter called him an energy shifter and added:

“I have. I think the unique thing about Jarred, and a number of really good teams that made deep playoff runs have guys like him, that are energy, defense, ball hawks. He can sort of … I call them energy shifters. He can change the energy of an entire game, and he doesn’t have to do it with scoring, which makes him really unique. I can’t wait to coach him. Obviously he has some rehab to do for the rest of the summer, but when he’s healthy, he’s going to be a big part of what we do.”

Speaking to the reporters on Media Day, Vanderbilt had revealed that his ramp-up was progressing well. The forward played only 29 games last season before sustaining his foot injury. He averaged 5.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 20 minutes per contest and six starts.

The Lakers will miss Jarred Vanderbilt for another significant chunk of games. Only time will tell if they can hang in while they wait for their defensive powerhouse to recoup and take the floor.