While the Los Angeles Lakers have played significantly better over the last two months or so than they did the first half of this season, they have had to go to battle without one of their key players.
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt was starting to play some excellent basketball in January when he suffered a foot injury late in the month. He has been out ever since, and there has been concern that he will be out for the rest of the year.
But according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the supersub has begun running as part of his rehab, although he hasn’t done any contact drills yet.
Darvin Ham says Jarred Vanderbilt still has not participated in contact drills and he rehabs his foot injury but has begun running as part of his return-to-play plan.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 26, 2024
The Lakers have missed his defensive versatility, ability to hit the boards, run the floor in transition and provide overall energy and intensity. He was a key piece who arrived in last February’s Russell Westbrook trade, and he played a sizable role in getting the team to last year’s Western Conference Finals.
