Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is expected to be out for several weeks due to a right foot injury, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
According to ESPN’s duo, Vanderbilt will undergo further evaluation on his mid-foot area to see if the ailment is one that might sideline him for an even longer stretch — perhaps even the rest of the season.
It’s disappointing news for Vanderbilt, whose season debut was delayed until early December due to bursitis in his left heel. He had emerged as a regular part of the Lakers’ rotation in the past two months, averaging 20.0 minutes per night and starting six of his 29 games on the season, including Thursday’s win in Boston.
Los Angeles’ depth on the wing and at forward has taken a hit as of late, with Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain) also on the shelf and LeBron James and Anthony Davis both battling nagging injuries. Reddish figures to step into a role similar to Vanderbilt’s once he’s ready to return, but until then, the Lakers will likely lean more heavily on forwards like Rui Hachimura, Taurean Prince, and Christian Wood.
Hachimura started the second half on Thursday after Vanderbilt left the game due to what the team referred to at the time as right foot soreness.
The Lakers’ injury woes may prompt them to take a longer look at some wings and forwards on the trade market in the coming days. Several of the team’s reported top targets – such as Dejounte Murray and Bruce Brown – are guards, but L.A. has also been linked to Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith, among others.
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