The Los Angeles Lakers have overcome their share of adversity early in the 2024-25 season. Injuries have depleted the depth of the roster, the schedule has been unkind to their grander ambitions, and the transition is underway from one franchise player to another.
Few hurdles have proven more discouraging than the extended wait for the 2024-25 debut of defensive specialist Jarred Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt underwent surgery on both of his feet during the offseason and has thus far missed every game the Lakers have played in 2024-25. There was hope that he could return early in the regular season, but progress hasn't been made at the pace Los Angeles expected.
In a recent release by the Lakers, it was revealed that Vanderbilt's ramp-up process has transpired at a slow enough rate to put the next update on his return date off for several weeks.
Jarred Vanderbilt will miss the next couple of weeks before the Lakers provide an update, per the team. His progress during the ramp-up process has been more gradual than anticipated.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 21, 2024
It's an unfortunate development that's left the Lakers with one choice: Proceed under the assumption that he won't return at all in 2024-25.
Lakers must proceed as though Jarred Vanderbilt won't return
That may seem harsh, but it's the only way Los Angeles can adequately navigate what could ultimately prove to be at least two months without Vanderbilt in the rotation. That need is heightened by the fact that he appeared in just 29 games in 2023-24.
Redick would be wise to incorporate Vanderbilt back into the rotation once he's healthy, but having missed 67 of the Lakers' past 96 regular season games, there's no telling when that will be.
By moving forward under the assumption that he won't return, Los Angeles can make firm commitments to available players. That would remove the expectation of an inevitable decline in playing time for those who are looking to make their name in Vanderbilt's absence.
Removing that tension could play a direct role in the Lakers finding a sustainable method of improving upon their current ranking of No. 24 in the NBA in defensive rating.
It's possible that the answer is already on the roster, with both Max Christie and Cam Reddish showcasing impressive defensive instincts in 2024-25. There's just as strong of a chance that the Lakers will need to find an external resolution.
That may come across as an extreme response based on how early it is in the regular season, but writing options off based on optimism would be a risky endeavor.
The hope remains that Vanderbilt will return to the court and operate as the wing-stopper the Lakers believe he can be. Considering he's in the first season of a four-year, $48 million contract, it's safe to say Los Angeles will give him every opportunity to prove he can live up to the hype.
Until Vanderbilt is back at 100 percent, however, the Lakers must operate under the impression that his return isn't the inevitability it was once believed to be.