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MIAMI — The Lakers announced Jarred Vanderbilt’s return to the floor is being targeted for early January after he experienced a setback during his rehabilitation from offseason surgery on both feet.
The team released a medical update Tuesday morning: “During his return-to-play progression, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt developed an effusion (swelling caused by fluid) in his left knee. This development altered the course of his progression, and the team is currently targeting early January for his return to NBA games.”
The Lakers last provided an update on Vanderbilt on Nov. 20 when they said his rehab would continue for at least a couple of more weeks before another update on his status was expected.
The team said at the time that his ramp-up progression had been more gradual than originally expected, emphasizing that the 25-year-old forward hadn’t experienced a setback and that a long-term approach is being taken with his health.
Vanderbilt had surgery on both his feet in May after missing the final couple of months of the 2023-24 season.
He hasn’t played since suffering a sprained right midfoot injury in the Lakers’ Feb. 1 road win against the Boston Celtics.
General manager Rob Pelinka said on Sept. 25 that Vanderbilt was also dealing with “sort of a lingering bone spur” on the back of his left foot, so Vanderbilt had surgery on both feet since he was already going to have surgery on the right foot that sidelined him.
Pelinka said on the team’s media day Sept. 30 that there was “a lot of optimism” that Vanderbilt would be available when the Lakers kicked off the regular season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22, but that didn’t come to fruition.
Vanderbilt is in the first season of a four-year, $48 million contract extension he signed with the Lakers last year.
He has averaged 6.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 20 minutes per game in 55 regular-season games since being acquired by the Lakers ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.
The Lakers have started the 2024-25 season 12-9 without Vanderbilt, including ranking 24th in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) at 116.7.
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