On Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Phoenix Suns in what will mark the second game of the season for both squads. The Lakers are coming off of a frustrating loss to the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets, and they will be without one of their best perimeter defenders when they take on Phoenix on Thursday.

Jarred Vanderbilt, who played a huge part in the Lakers' midseason turnaround in 2022-23, will miss his second straight game to open up the campaign with heel bursitis, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham provided a rather vague update on Vanderbilt's condition prior to the Suns game.

“Being that it’s this early in the season, there’s no need to rush the process,” said Ham, per McMenamin.

Jarred Vanderbilt is arguably the second best defender on the Lakers roster behind only Anthony Davis. His size and wingspan allow him to be effective defensively both around the basket and out on the perimeter when switched onto opposing guards. In fact, Vanderbilt spent extensive minutes following Stephen Curry around the court during the Lakers' series against the Warriors this past postseason.

Vanderbilt also has shown an increased willingness to shoot the three-point shot when left open by opposing defenses, as he often is. If he can knock those down with consistency, he could easily become one of the most important players on a Lakers roster that features considerable talent across the board.

First things first though: Lakers fans would love to see Vanderbilt back on the court and healthy.