{"id":108315,"date":"2024-11-21T16:54:05","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T21:54:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=108315"},"modified":"2024-11-21T16:54:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T21:54:05","slug":"lakers-jarred-vanderbilt-problem-simple-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/21\/lakers-jarred-vanderbilt-problem-simple-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers\u2019 Jarred Vanderbilt Problem Has Somewhat Simple Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards<\/a> taunted Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt<\/a> by telling his former teammate that he had been \u201churt for two years<\/a>,\u201d it went viral.<\/p>\n

Edwards\u2019s charismatic trash talk was amusing, with all due respect to Vanderbilt. Such is his nature, as the 23-year-old has one of the most magnetic personalities in the NBA. However, underneath the laughs was a nugget of truth. Vanderbilt hasn\u2019t been seen on an NBA court, at least not in uniform, since February.<\/p>\n

Lakers\u2019 Jarred Vanderbilt Problem Has Somewhat Simple Solution<\/h2>\n

After missing the first 20 games of the 2023-24 season with a heel injury<\/a>, he played in 29 of the next 30 games before being sidelined with a foot injury<\/a>. As the 2024 NBA Playoffs approached, there were multiple reports of his impending return<\/a>. The Lakers sincerely hoped he would be a valuable part of their playoff rotation, like he was the prior year.<\/p>\n

That day never came.<\/p>\n

28 days into the 2024-25 season and Vanderbilt not only remains out but his recovery is going slower than expected. Add to that Lakers head coach JJ Redick\u2019s revelation that Vanderbilt underwent surgeries on both of his feet<\/a> in the 2024 offseason, and there\u2019s now serious concern about his future outlook. Players don\u2019t usually spend months on an injury report when they were expected to be back earlier than that.<\/p>\n

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Jarred Vanderbilt\u2019s ramp up after offseason foot procedures in May has gone slower than the Lakers anticipated, per the team. There have been no setbacks, however. He will be re-evaluated in a couple weeks, per the team.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 21, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n