Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt could return to the floor before the postseason begins.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, there is "internal optimism" within the organization that Vanderbilt will be able to come back before the Lakers' final regular-season game on April 14.
Although CBS Sports' Bill Reiter initially reported on Tuesday that "the expectation is that" the 24-year-old won't be able to return, there still appears to be some hope that he can help Los Angeles ahead of its postseason push.
Vanderbilt has not suited up in a game since Feb. 1 due to a foot injury. He's only appeared in 29 total contests during the 2023-24 season, as he missed the start of the year while he was dealing with left heel bursitis.
His minutes often fluctuated when he was healthy, as he bounced back and forth between the starting lineup and the bench. Before his foot issue, he was averaging 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field.
The Lakers have struggled after making the Western Conference Finals in 2023, currently owning the No. 9 seed in the conference with a record of 37-32. Los Angeles' disappointing year can be partially attributed to the amount of injuries that the team has faced.
Vanderbilt, point guard Gabe Vincent, center Christian Wood, and forward Cam Reddish are all currently out. Per Buha, Wood is expected to miss the rest of the regular season although there's a "chance" that he returns for a play-in tournament appearance. As for Vincent, there is less optimism regarding his potential return compared to Vanderbilt.
After he was traded to the Lakers in Feb. 2023, the former second-round pick played an important role in the team's conference finals run by starting in 13 playoff games. Vanderbilt's absence has particularly hurt the team's defense in the 2023-24 season, as Los Angeles ranks No. 17 among all teams with a 115.5 defensive rating (via NBA.com).
