Help is on the way for the Los Angeles Lakers as they continued their uneven start to the season with a 109-80 deflating loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 2.
The Lakers announced via ESPN’s Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin that forward Jarred Vanderbilt is targeting an early January return from his foot injury.
Vanderbilt was previously out indefinitely due to a setback in his recovery from offseason surgery to both feet. He has not played since February 1.
The six-year NBA veteran averaged 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 20.0 minutes per game last season. He played a critical role in the Lakers’ Western Conference finals run two seasons ago.
With a clear timeline for Vanderbilt’s return, Lakers rookie coach JJ Redick can now start mapping out plans to integrate the versatile defender into his system as soon and as seamlessly as possible upon his return.
The Lakers have nine games left in December, beginning with another road game against the Miami Heat on December 3. They have already been booted out of contention in the Emirates NBA Cup following their November 29 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their latest loss at the hands of the Timberwolves caused them to fall to No. 8 in the Western Conference for the season with a 12-9 record.
Vanderbilt’s impending return in January would boost the Lakers’ defense, which is currently the seventh-worst in the NBA, allowing 116.7 points per 100 possessions.
There is a pressing need for a perimeter defender for the Lakers and Vanderbilt could help address that.
LeBron James Pinpoints Lakers’ Issues
The Lakers had the fourth-best offense in the NBA before losing five of their last seven games to slip in the standings.
LeBron James, who scored only 10 points on a rough 4-of-16 shooting night against the Timberwolves, offered his blunt assessment of the Lakers’ current predicament.
“We’re just not good offensively right now,” James said, per Spectrum Sportsnet. “I think we spent so much time on trying to get our defense corrected that our offense just took a toll and took a back seat to that. We’re not great offensively right now.”
But the Lakers need to be strong on both sides of the ball if they are to contend this season.
They were awful on both ends of the floor against the Timberwolves, allowing them to shoot a blistering 50.6% from the field and 15 3-pointers.
In stark contrast, the Lakers shot 10% worse from the field and only hit 6-of-31 3-pointers.
Day’Ron Sharpe on Lakers’ Radar
The Lakers are among the several NBA teams monitoring the situation of Brooklyn Nets‘ former first-round pick Day’Ron Sharpe, Hoopshypes’ Michael Scotto reported.
“Sharpe, who’s eligible for restricted free agency this summer, is being monitored by the Grizzlies, Clippers, Pelicans, Lakers, and Raptors, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote.
Sharpe made his season debut on the same night the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves.
The Nets backup center logged 16 minutes and produced four points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and a block in a 128-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
Sharpe won’t move the needle for the Lakers if they trade for him. But at least he could give them another warm body to ease the burden of Anthony Davis in their injury-hit frontline.
