Jarred Vanderbilt Remains Out Indefinitely. Should the Lakers Expect Him to Return This Season?

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers have had long stretches this year where news on Jarred Vanderbilt has essentially been non-existent. And for the most part, it has been a matter of no news not equaling good news. There's no update because he's not making progress.

Well, sometimes getting news isn't good, either. Such was the case Wednesday, when the Lakers delivered a health update on Jarred Vanderbilt. And ... it's not great! His feet aren't healing as fast as the Lakers had hoped. Is it a "setback?" They say no, likely framing "setback" as something involving a recurrence of the injury. This isn't that, but he's just not recovering as fast as the Lakers clearly had hoped when training camp began. So they'll slow things down, and reassess in a couple weeks. (At least publicly.)

Needless to say, if Vando's rehab is ramping down more than up, it means it's unlikely he's on the floor for at least a month. Possibly more. And the length of his absence, combined with the recovery from injury, makes it fair to wonder how effective he'd be upon his return. How long would he need to round into form? Remember, last year Vanderbilt played poorly after he returned from injury the first time, and then he got hurt again. (A sequence of events surely on the team's mind as they try to navigate this year's problems.) It wasn't until he came back the second time that Vando actually made positive contributions.

So given how slowly this has gone, should the Lakers, even 14 games in (with 15 tonight at home against Orlando) approach the rest of the year as if Vanderbilt won't make a meaningful contribution? Would that be the wisest course of action? To prepare for the worst, and be surprised if happier events intervene?

Plus... a trip down memory lane in LA's efforts to find a shooter.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Vando out. Still.

SEGMENT 2: Do the Lakers have a messaging problem, in addition to a potential roster issue?

SEGMENT 3: Great shooters in Lakers history!

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