As long as LeBron James and Anthony Davis are on the floor for the Los Angeles Lakers, this team will have a chance to win. However, injuries to their secondary unit have piled up for the Lakers this season, as Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent continue to be two major question marks due to different injury concerns.
Vincent has not played since near the end of December due to left knee surgery, and Vanderbilt has been out since the start of February with what the team has called a right mid-foot sprain. Very little information has been given regarding both players' respective injuries, which is why there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding whether or not they will be able to return to the court this season.
Ahead of Friday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers have 13 games remaining on their schedule. Making the playoffs is still this team's main goal, which is why Los Angeles would welcome the return of either player, regardless of what capacity they could play in.
Yet there are still question marks that exist regarding whether the Lakers will be able to add some reinforcements before the end of the season.
Will Jarred Vanderbilt or Gabe Vincent return?
Ever since Vanderbilt suffered his foot injury at the start of February, the Lakers have been silent on his whereabouts. In the midst of his rehab, it does appear as if the 24-year-old has a better shot at returning this season than Vincent does, according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha.
The Lakers are remaining optimistic that Vanderbilt can return this season. Although there is also hope that Vincent can return at some point, he is less likely to see the court given his situation. Still, Vanderbilt and Vincent face uphill journeys in order to get back out on the floor and make a difference for the Lakers.
Vincent signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Lakers last offseason. After proving to be a factor in the Miami Heat's run to the NBA Finals, Vincent cashed in on his services and was expected to compete for Los Angeles' starting point guard role. However, the 27-year-old guard has been limited to just five games this season due to ongoing problems with his left knee. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in December and was said to be ready to resume basketball activities in six to eight weeks.
Even before this surgery, Vincent sat out just about two months to begin the season due to swelling and was receiving platelet-rich plasma therapy. Neither rest, nor his therapy treatments were able to keep surgery out of the question.
Vanderbilt has not played since Feb. 1 due to a mid-foot sprain that was initially thought to keep him out for the remainder of the season. Due to his length and quickness, Vanderbilt is a forward the Lakers utilize in many different ways defensively. He played a big role in their playoff success a season ago.
The Lakers could realistically utilize either player should they be able to return from injury. But Vanderbilt's presence as a primary defender could be a lot more valuable for Los Angeles ahead of the playoffs. It is expected that the Lakers will provide a better injury update on Vanderbilt and Vincent before the conclusion of March.
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