It doesn’t sound like the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be getting the reinforcements down the stretch of the 2023-24 NBA regular season that they had hoped they would receive. According to Bill Reiter of CBS Sports, via NBACentral, the Lakers are facing the harsh reality of multiple rotation players not returning to the lineup this season.
Big man Christian Wood, guard Gabe Vincent and forward Jarred Vanderbilt are all expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season because of injuries. Wood and Vincent are dealing with knee injuries, while Vanderbilt has a mid-foot sprain.
It was reported that Wood underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his knee, which will sideline him for multiple weeks. He has already missed more than a month, as he has been out since before the NBA All-Star Break and was without a timetable after the operation.
Vincent was arguably the biggest acquisition the Lakers made during the 2023 NBA offseason. After a great run with the Miami Heat during last year’s postseason, Vincent signed a three-year, $33 million deal with Los Angeles in free agency.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Jarred Vanderbilt, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Year 1 of that deal has been a major bust. Vincent will have played in only five games, making nowhere near the impact the team had hoped for. It would not be surprising if his name came up in trade talks over the offseason as the Lakers will be on the lookout for some more help.
Vanderbilt has played in 29 games this season, dealing with injuries throughout. He missed the first 20 games of the season before playing in 29 out of the next 30. But, the sprained foot has kept him sidelined since that point, as it will cost him 31 games total to finish out the season.
Los Angeles has missed the versatility that Vanderbilt brings to the defensive end of the court. He can defend all five positions and has left the team short-handed in the frontcourt.
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