Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt set for season debut with injury return vs. Warriors
01/22/2025 01:46 PM
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is set to make his return from injury and season debut on Saturday when the team takes on the Golden State Warriors, league sources told ClutchPoints.
This report was simultaneously confirmed by Shams Charania of ESPN.
Vanderbilt, 25, has not played this season after undergoing surgeries to address issues in both feet during the offseason. Originally, Vanderbilt hoped to be on the floor after missing the first month of the 2024-25 season, but he then experienced a buildup of fluid in his left knee during his rehab process.
This obviously prolonged Vanderbilt’s recovery timeline. In recent weeks, Lakers head coach JJ Redick had been hinting at Vanderbilt’s pending return. The team remained confident that the defensive-minded forward would be back on the court before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, an important date for Los Angeles to make key decisions about their immediate future.
After already trading for Dorian Finney-Smith, the Lakers have been rumored to be searching for more moves, possibly utilizing players like Gabe Vincent and Vanderbilt as tradeable contracts. However, the Lakers have made it known that they would like to see what their team looks like with the addition of Vanderbilt before coming to conclusions on the trade market.
Recently, Anthony Davis and LeBron James have been signaling to the Lakers’ front office that they would like to see some changes made. Given their record and where they find themselves in the standings, the belief from these superstars is that the Lakers are only one or two pieces away from being true title contenders.
The addition of the athletic and lengthy forward to Los Angeles’ rotations will be key for Redick and the team. When the Lakers originally traded for Vanderbilt during the 2022-23 season, they did so with the intention of him being a key defensive weapon on the perimeter that could help alleviate pressure off LeBron and Davis.
In a total of 55 games with the Lakers, Vanderbilt has averaged 6.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in roughly 21.9 minutes per game. His arrival will act as a trade deadline addition in itself, as Vanderbilt will provide the Lakers with some much-needed wing depth and energy off the bench.
Los Angeles is currently 23-18 this season. Before Vanderbilt makes his return against the Warriors on Saturday, the Lakers will host the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
The post Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt set for season debut with injury return vs. Warriors appeared first on ClutchPoints.
