{"id":116675,"date":"2025-01-07T19:51:57","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T00:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=116675"},"modified":"2025-01-07T19:51:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T00:51:57","slug":"lakers-jarred-vanderbilt-return-key-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/01\/07\/lakers-jarred-vanderbilt-return-key-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Forward Inching Toward Return with Key Update"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many have wondered when\u00a0<\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vandeja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jarred Vanderbilt<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers. The 6\u20198\u201d forward has spent the last few months recovering from two foot surgeries and knee soreness, and news on his recovery had been few and far between. Head coach JJ Redick offered an encouraging update on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/01\/06\/los-angeles-lakers-could-get-reinforcements-soon-jarred-vanderbilt-injury\/\" target=\"_self\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vanderbilt\u2019s recovery<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Tuesday, detailing his on-court progress and the desired next steps.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Lakers Forward Inching Toward Return with Key Update<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>Redick: Vanderbilt Played Five-on-Five<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During his post-practice media availability, Redick said Vanderbilt played five-on-five with Lakers coaches yesterday, and would like to see him play against his teammates or G-League players as a next step in his return to play.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">JJ Redick said Jarred Vanderbilt has gotten some runs in with the coaching staff. They\u2019d like to see him play against Lakers roster players, or South Bay Lakers players, in practice as he gets closer. Redick said there will be a further update soon.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LakersReporter\/status\/1876767191061668095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Redick added that Vanderbilt\u2014<\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vandeja01\/gamelog\/2024\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">who last played on Feb. 1, 2024<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014will be placed on a minutes restriction upon his return. He is coming off of a 2023-24 campaign where he averaged 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds across 29 games (six starts).<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Redick said Vando\u2019s minutes, when he does return, will be limited after missing nearly an entire year of game action. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/i9UN3Yyofr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/i9UN3Yyofr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dave McMenamin (@mcten) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mcten\/status\/1876767568855265494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><b>Vanderbilt\u2019s Return Impacts Backup Center Search<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vando will return to a new-look squad that includes another defensive-minded wing in <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/f\/finnedo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dorian Finney-Smith<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the Lakers are only looking to upgrade from there. Sources tell <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/clutchpoints.com\/sources-how-jarred-vanderbilt-impending-return-lakers-trade-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ClutchPoints\u2019 Anthony Irwin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> there\u2019s optimism Vanderbilt could return in the coming weeks, with added intel on how Redick plans to use the 25-year-old wing.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to league sources and some close to the team, there is growing optimism Vanderbilt might make his return within the next week or two, whereupon <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/clutchpoints.com\/nba\/players\/aa7e08e5\/jj-redick\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JJ Redick<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> intends to utilize him in an interesting way. Whenever Vanderbilt does return, sources say he&#8217;ll be used up and down the Lakers&#8217; frontcourt, and will almost assuredly spend time at center in Redick&#8217;s athletic, switchy vision for the team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heading into the season, anticipation around the league was that the Lakers would upgrade their backup center situation. They still might, but first want to see how well the team can operate under this identity\u2026As one source close to the team put it, Redick has seemed less interested in playing any traditional center not named Davis of late, so the front office is reluctant to use trade assets on a player who may not have a role when he gets to Los Angeles.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lakers have experimented with small-ball lineups before\u2014typically with <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hachiru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rui Hachimura<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LeBron James<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014but incorporating Vanderbilt into that vision could make things interesting. Vanderbilt has exhibited tremendous versatility on defense, stopping the opponents\u2019 leading forwards, guards, and, occasionally, centers. Redick has previously stated Vanderbilt will play a key role in the team\u2019s defensive schemes. His willingness to use Vando as a small-ball center is a key indicator of that, albeit an unorthodox approach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of playing center, Vanderbilt would remain better off staying at the four next to Finney-Smith or Hachimura. At 6\u20198\u201d with a 7\u20191\u201d wingspan and high motor, Vando creates a matchup nightmare for opposing bench units, not to mention his ability to shut down stars. He could also slot into a closing lineup with James, Davis and Reaves, who hold enough offensive firepower to make up for his weakness on that end.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Last Word on Jarred Vanderbilt<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon his return, Vanderbilt will give the Lakers another effective point-of-attack defender and boost the bench with his effort. While his presence won\u2019t solve all of the Lakers\u2019 problems, he can serve as another spark plug in the second unit and improve their ability to string stops together.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many have wondered when\u00a0Jarred Vanderbilt will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers. The 6\u20198\u201d forward has spent the last few months recovering from two foot surgeries and knee soreness, and news on his recovery had been few and far between. Head coach JJ Redick offered an encouraging update on Vanderbilt\u2019s recovery Tuesday, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4265,"featured_media":108341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,26,62],"tags":[240,2272,2941,2279,38,1749],"class_list":["post-116675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-lakers","category-nba","tag-anthony-davis","tag-dorian-finney-smith","tag-jarred-vanderbilt","tag-jj-redick","tag-lebron-james","tag-rui-hachimura"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116675"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116675\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116681,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116675\/revisions\/116681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}