When Jarred Vanderbilt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2023 as part of the deal that got rid of Russell Westbrook, he quickly became a fan favorite because of his hustle, especially defensively and on the boards. But his time with the Lakers, to a certain extent, has been marred by injuries.
Last season, he missed the first several weeks of the schedule with a heel ailment. Then several weeks after returning, just when it looked like he was hitting his stride, he suffered a foot injury that kept him out for a full calendar year.