The Los Angeles Lakers officially announced that Jarred Vanderbilt has been cleared to begin a return to play progressions, which will start with the defense-minded forward returning to practice with the team. While this doesn’t mean he’s returning in the next few games, it does indicate he’ll be back soon, prompting Laker fans to go ballistic with joy.
OFFICIAL: Jarred Vanderbilt was reevaluated by Lakers team doctors and has been cleared to begin a return to play progression. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 13, 2023
Fans are already excited about the boost the team will get with Vanderbilt returning.
We’re so back
— Kaden (@PlayoffKaden) November 13, 2023
Fans are excited about Vando’s return coinciding with Cam Reddish finding his groove on the roster.
We got Cam hoopin and now Vando coming back pic.twitter.com/ySSfsQUBKS
— 🥷🏽 (@LBJcrib) November 13, 2023
Fans are hoping Vanderbilt makes his debut on 21 November against the Utah Jazz.
hopefully he’s back by the jazz game
— 🪄⭐️ (@Jxniixr_) November 13, 2023
Fans could not stop talking about the defensive potential with Vando, Anthony Davis, and Cam Reddish on the floor together.
https://twitter.com/therainvvs/status/1724127458612646178
Some fans were still negative, not looking at Vando’s reintegration as a big enough deal to make the Lakers decidedly better.
why do i weirdly feel like this wont change anything tonight? 😢
— Solana D0C (@SolanaD0C) November 13, 2023
Fans’ excitement about their defense continued, with Taurean Prince also getting love for his ability to clamp the perimeter.
Vando returning to a defense with Killa Cam, Taurean Prince and DPOY AD #LakeShow we will be there pic.twitter.com/xEGhn53QEG https://t.co/uQcgFdQ55M
— † (@HoodiHachimura) November 13, 2023
More fans realized that Vanderbilt may still have a couple of weeks before he returns, but are excited nonetheless.
Vando coming back is going to be huge for this team. Probably not back until Early December, but I’m pumped
— Sean Davis (@Sean_Davi) November 13, 2023
The Lakers have had a hole in the frontcourt that they’ve been trying to fill with a combination of players playing in the power forward role, including LeBron James and Rui Hachimura. It’s clear that the spot belongs to Vanderbilt due to his incredible defensive chemistry with Davis, but he does tend to get limited play if he drags the Lakers’ offense down.
The Lakers haven’t been great on either end through the start of the season, so maybe they will continue playing Vanderbilt as the starting four to go all-in on their defense, a strategy that worked well last season.
Jarred Vanderbilt Loves Playing Alongside LeBron James And Anthony Davis
Vanderbilt has been looking to find a home in the NBA over the last few seasons. He looked to be an integral part of the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first playoff appearance in years before the team promptly traded him away to acquire Rudy Gobert. After half a season in Utah, Vando was traded to the Lakers where he made an impact on the defensive end last season.
He was rewarded with a contract extension in the summer that’ll see the 24-year-old integrate himself into the Lakers system as a long-term piece. He already has great chemistry with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, saying that himself during the offseason after the Lakers looked like one of the best teams in the league and made a shock run to the Western Conference Finals.
“They are just so efficient in what they do on and off the court. Having guys, they just made the game so much easier for you, they just such high IQ, high-level players that it made our jobs easier.”
Vanderbilt averaged 4.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in the playoffs. He struggled to get extended playing time because of his offensive limitations but made his minutes undeniable by not only being a capable big-man defender but also a proficient POA defensive option on the wing. With the pieces that the Lakers have, bringing Vando back into the fold may be what they need to live up to their expectation of being one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.
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