Lakers Assign Jarred Vanderbilt to G League

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The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned injured forward Jarred Vanderbilt to the G League as he ramps up his return to the court. The South Bay Lakers will be practicing before the Lakers today, giving the forward more time to progress in his return.

ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin reported the news on social media today.

"Jarred Vanderbilt has been assigned to the South Bay Lakers, the team announced. South Bay practices this morning before the Lakers do, so it gives Vanderbilt a chance to get in extra court time as he continues his progression towards a return."

Vanderbilt has been out the entire season so far as he returns from injury. The Lakers have missed his defensive abilities on the court so this is great news for the team.

When healthy, Vanderbilt displays an aggressive display of defense and rebounding that helps this team win games. Los Angeles has severely missed his presence on the court so him being assigned to the G League is a massive win.

The veteran forward has been making his way back to the court and has made meaningful strides to return. However, when he does get back on the floor, he will be on a minutes restriction to avoid any serious injury.

Vanderbilt has been a big piece to this team over the past few seasons and made a big impact on the Lakers reaching the Western Conference Finals two years ago. If he can return, it could help the Lakers take another step forward for this season as they look to build back for the postseason.

With Vanderbilt likely back soon, the Lakers could have a lethal wing duo of him and Dorian Finney-Smith. Los Angeles has been looking for wing defenders for some time now and they may finally have a solution to a problem that has plagued them for years.

Vanderbilt will likely get some reps with South Bay and then be assigned over to the Lakers. Once he returns, Los Angeles can fully evaluate the roster to see what they still need before the trade deadline.

The Lakers are expected to be very active ahead of the trade deadline and could be ready to make a splash move. The team has some tools at their disposal and is primed to heavily impact how the rest of the season shakes out.

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Matt Levine
MATT LEVINE

Matt earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Management from Louisiana State University in 2021. He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, covering all Southern California sports in his career.