Earlier this week, two Los Angeles Lakers players —Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt —were rumored to be out for the remainder of the regular season. A third player —Christian Wood —underwent knee surgery, with a recovery timeline that prevents him from returning before then.

Lakers Trio Receive Hopeful Injury Updates as Playoffs Near

There are still mixed signals coming out of L.A. concerning the injury status of Vincent and Vanderbilt. However, as the Lakers gear up for the 2024 NBA Playoffs, there’s hope that all three will be available during the postseason.

Per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha:

“There is less clarity with Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent. Neither has been ruled out for the rest of the season, but of the two,
there is more internal optimism that Vanderbilt will return before the regular season ends next month, according to team and league sources.”

Shortly after Vincent was said to be out for the rest of the Lakers’ 2023-24 campaign, a conflicting report has the defensive-minded guard coming back before the end of the season.

He’s certainly been pressing hard to return from his knee injury. Frankly, it’s unclear whether he’ll return fully recovered or just healthy enough. Nonetheless, his presence has been sorely missed by L.A. all season. They’ve had difficulty containing backcourt players this season and Vincent’s best skill is his on-ball defense.

Jarred Vanderbilt

There’s a similar case to be made about Vanderbilt. There’s been no firm return date set for Vanderbilt. However, there have been consistent reports about him aiming to return before the end of the regular season. When he returns, Vanderbilt is another player who would raise the Lakers’ defensive ceiling. A fine on-ball defender, he’s capable of guarding every position.

Christian Wood

As previously mentioned, Wood is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season after completing surgery. However, “there’s a chance he’ll return for Play-In game(s) or the playoffs if the Lakers get there,” according to Buha.

Though a skilled scorer, Wood averaged 6.9 points per game this season as he played a minor rotation role. His biggest impact may have been on the boards, as he pulled down 16.2 percent of available rebounds when on the floor. That mark ranks second on the team behind only Anthony Davis (19.4 percent).

If he can return during the postseason, his abilities become even more valuable. In the playoffs, every possession becomes that much more important. His ability to score, averaging 18.1 points per game across the three previous seasons, can change a game. So will his ability to end a defensive possession by controlling the board.