Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt To Be Re-Evaluated Next Week

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told NBA reporters that Jarred Vanderbilt will be re-evaluated next week. 

Vanderbilt suffered a serious right foot injury on February 1 against the Boston Celtics in Beantown. 

Darvin Ham says Jarred Vanderbilt will be re-evaluated early next week.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 3, 2024

Jarred Vanderbilt getting some pregame on-court work in with assistant coaches Phil Handy and DeMarre Carroll pic.twitter.com/ZvY4EQam6q

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 3, 2024

Vanderbilt has played in only 29 games this season. He’s averaging 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.2 blocks while shooting 51.8% from the field and 66.7% from the free-throw line and has a plus-minus of +44. 

Vanderbilt has career averages of 6.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.4 blocks with the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Lakers. He signed a four-year, $48 million extension with the Lakers in September.

The Lakers are 44-33 on the season. They are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The team is seventh in the NBA in points per game, 23rd in points per game allowed and 19th in net rating. 

All signs point toward the Lakers playing in the 9-10 play-in tournament game versus the Golden State Warriors. LAL would need to win two play-in games in a row to make the 2024 playoffs as the eighth seed if they stay in the ninth spot.

In other Lakers news, according to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers will pursue Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young this summer. Young, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group. 

“The one name I continually hear is Trae Young,” Buha said. “He’s been to Laker playoff games before. He’s a Klutch Sports client. That’s probably the most realistic one right now.”

Young is one of the best floor generals in the NBA. He’s currently out with a finger injury and it’s unknown if he’ll play again this season. 

Before getting hurt, Young was averaging 26.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.2 blocks for the Hawks while shooting 42.6% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 85.6% from the free-throw line. He had 35 double-doubles in 51 starts.

Young, 25, holds career averages of 25.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.2 blocks. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract.