It was anticipated that one of the Lakers’ standout qualities going into the 2023–24 NBA season would be their extraordinary size. And it was highly anticipated that forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who suffered a heel bursitis injury, would play a role in that scenario. More than anything else, Vanderbilt’s presence was lacking in their sluggish 3-5 start.
The Lakers’ ability to create opportunities and compensate for Vanderbilt’s absence has helped them win five of their last six games. With a 47.5% rebounding percentage in their first eight games of the season, the Lakers were getting hammered on the glass to start the year. It was the NBA’s 24th. Their rebounding percentage over the last six games is 51.5%, which ranks tenth.
“I don’t think most people understand how valuable Jarred Vanderbilt is to what they want to do,” one Western Conference coach told Heavy Sports. “You can’t replace LeBron and you can’t replace Anthony Davis. After them, everyone on that team, you can pretty much replace them. But Jarred Vanderbilt, you can’t replace that grit and that hustle and the rebounding and the defense. And you talk to them, people with that team, and they feel like they still have to unleash him.
Vanderbilt, Jarred Ready for the Lakers’ Comeback
The time for the unleashing ought to be near. For the past week, Jarred Vanderbilt has been preparing for a comeback. Vanderbilt is a versatile 6-foot-9 forward who can rebound and defend multiple positions, despite not being a particularly prolific scorer. The Lakers acquired him from Utah at the trade deadline, and he averaged 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game.
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