While the Los Angeles Lakers found a way to defeat the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks in their last two games, the injury bug continues to chew away at them.
On Thursday against Boston, forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who had been playing his best basketball of the season, suffered a right foot injury and immediately left the game. He’s expected to miss the next several weeks.
The injury came as L.A. was outworking and outhustling a Celtics team that many consider the best in the NBA en route to a 114-105 victory. It seemed emblematic of the type of unfortunate injury luck the team has been having all season.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there is concern Vanderbilt will have to miss the rest of the season. The reporter added this injury could affect what the team does or doesn’t do ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline.
Reporting on ABC NBA Countdown on Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt’s “significant” foot injury and concern he’s lost for season: pic.twitter.com/onCOWnna4c
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2024
“I’m told that Jarred Vanderbilt has suffered what was described to me as a significant right foot injury. There’s concern that he could be lost for the rest of the season. They’re consulting with specialists this weekend going through that foot injury on Vanderbilt. But at the minimum, I’m told that he’s out for several weeks and could very well be out for the rest of the season.
“The Lakers have been without Gabe Vincent along with Jarred Vanderbilt, maybe their two best point of attack defenders for most of the season with Vincent out. And now that certainly has to figure into the calculus for the Lakers, for (general manager) Rob Pelinka as they head into the final days before Thursday’s trade deadline because this is not a marketplace right now where there are a lot of difference makers available and the Lakers do not have significant assets to add to this team. And now, if you are bringing in a player how much does he move the needle with a team that very well could be without Vanderbilt now for the rest of the season. The Lakers could get to the offseason, have three first-round picks available in the summer to do deals. They’ll keep working at it until Thursday, but Vanderbilt, the possibility of him being lost for the season now that impacts trade deadline, too.”
Vanderbilt, since arriving in a trade about a year ago, has been a very effective and versatile defender, as well as a good rebounder and a classic energy player. Recently, he has found ways to be effective offensively as well, even though he lacks offensive skills.
The Lakers had been targeting Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, a former All-Star, in trade talks. But there is a feeling they have moved away from their pursuit of Murray and are instead looking to land a defensive wing.
