Lakers wing Jarred Vanderbilt missed most of the preseason with what was termed “heel soreness,” and he was expected to return for the start of the regular season. However, that obviously hasn’t happened as the rangy, high-energy wing defender has yet to make his debut this season.
The Lakers’ medical report updated his injury to “left heel bursitis” prior to the team’s game against the Suns before announcing on Friday that he was making progress with his return but would be re-evaluated in two weeks.
In the following video, I took a closer look at the injury including explaining what it is and why it can be a sensitive issue for basketball players:
The Lakers have certainly missed a player like Vanderbilt who fills in so many gaps for the team, whether it’s as an on-ball defender, a high-energy and high-motor player or as a weakside rebounder.