Jarred Vanderbilt most likely received’t play through the preseason, however the Lakers stay hopeful that he’ll be prepared when the common season ideas off October 22, writes Khobi Worth of The Orange County Register. The crew is bringing Vanderbilt alongside slowly after he had surgical procedure on each toes in Might, and he continues to make progress towards being out there for opening evening. Coach J.J. Redick advised reporters after Saturday’s observe that Vanderbilt hasn’t skilled any problems since coaching camp started.
“He’s following our ramp-up protocol,” Redick mentioned. “He has not carried out any contact work. He has not participated in any non-contact observe. However we’re nonetheless making an attempt to focus on the start of the season. Our ramp-up course of, we’re on, kind of, goal. So it stays to be seen if he’ll be out there. However no setbacks. And he simply continues to work his approach again.”
Vanderbilt grew to become a direct starter after being acquired from Utah on the 2023 commerce deadline and performed an necessary function because the Lakers reached the Western Convention Finals. Accidents restricted him to 29 video games final season, and his return might be important for Redick as he installs new defensive schemes.
“We’ve had some enjoyable with one in all our zones,” Redick mentioned. “We haven’t practiced it, however we’ve used it in a recreation a pair instances. We’ve one other model of a zone that options [Vanderbilt]. I’m trying ahead to experimenting with that. In all probability received’t get to experiment with it within the preseason.”
There’s extra on the Lakers:
- Austin Reaves missed Thursday’s recreation with soreness in his proper ankle, however Redick doesn’t consider it’s a long-term concern, Worth provides. He was a non-contact participant in as we speak’s observe and will return for Tuesday’s matchup with Golden State.
- Quincy Olivari, who’s in camp on an Exhibit 10 deal, made a powerful impression on his teammates and coaches Thursday evening, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Instances. The rookie guard out of Xavier put up 11 factors, 5 rebounds and two assists within the fourth quarter and helped to spark a 20-0 run. Olivari mentioned it was a “pretty simple resolution” to hitch the Lakers, although there’s not a roster spot out there, particularly after he was recruited following the draft by Nick Mazzella, normal supervisor of the crew’s South Bay affiliate within the G League. “He takes the sport very severely,” Redick mentioned. “He’s a participant who, I speak about care issue, he’s a participant who has a care issue for doing it the best approach and eager to execute no matter imaginative and prescient you give him. I’m excited that he’s in our program, I actually am. We have a look at him as a training workers in very excessive regard.”
- The Lakers are exploring the commerce market in hopes of including one other heart, Shams Charania of ESPN mentioned Friday in his debut look on NBA Right this moment (video hyperlink). Charania didn’t point out any potential targets, however he identified that Christian Wooden continues to get better after having knee surgical procedure final month, whereas two-way participant Christian Koloko nonetheless hasn’t obtained medical clearance to return to the league, although Lakers medical doctors stay assured it’s going to ultimately occur.
