Lakers Injury Report: Jarred Vanderbilt 'Ramping' Up His Return to Court

Ricardo Sandoval | Jan 5, 2025

Jan 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) dunks for the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers star defensive-minded forward Jarred Vanderbilt could be back on the court soon (for real). 

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Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Vanderbilt's knee issue has gone down, and he's ramping up his return to play. They say the progress is real.

Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times shared the news on X. 

JJ Redick says Jarred Vanderbilt knee issue has dissipated has gone down and he’s ramping up for return to play. Said the progress is real.

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) January 5, 2025

Vanderbilt has yet to step on the court this season. He last played on February 1, 2024.

Vanderbilt is a vital piece for the Lakers, but he has been off the court more than he's been on. He struggled with injuries last season, which hampered their ability to reach their full potential. 

The 25-year-old had an injury-riddled season in 2023-24. He only appeared in 29 games last season, and the Lakers desperately missed his defensive presence. Vanderbilt was a key piece to the Lakers' run to the Western Conference Finals two years ago, as he brought defensive versatility that is hard to come by. 

Vanderbilt struggled with a lingering bone spur that was also cleared up during the procedures. Before the start of the 2023-24 season, Vanderbilt was struggling with a heel issue that caused him to miss the beginning of the season. He found his groove sometime in January, but the foot issue came up once the calendar flipped to February. 

Prior to the start of this season, Vanderbilt shared his frustration on being unable to help his team. 

“It definitely was frustrating not being available,” Vanderbilt said. “It’s been a long year dealing with injuries and trying to get healthy to be there for the team. So it definitely was frustrating, especially knowing I could have contributed to some of the stuff we were lacking this year. So definitely was frustrating.”

A healthy Vanderbilt is everything and more for the Lakers. When he is healthy, he brings toughness, defensive versatility, and can guard 1-4 on the court. 

His numbers may not shine on the stat sheet, but he brings all the little things needed for a championship-level team. If the Lakers can get Vanderbilt back, alongside Anthony Davis, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Max Christie, they could turn into one of the more formidable defensive teams in the league. 

Time will tell, but with a little over a month away from the trade deadline, they could get even better on the defensive end. 

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