Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt is set to make his season debut against the Warriors

Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is set to do its thing return from injury and debut of the season on Saturday when the team plays the Golden State Warriors, league sources told ClutchPoints.

This report was simultaneously confirmed by Shams Charania of ESPN.

Vanderbilt, 25, has not played this season after undergoing offseason surgery for problems with both feet. Originally, Vanderbilt had hoped to be on the floor after missing the first month of the 2024-25 season, but then experienced fluid buildup in his left knee during the rehab process.

This obviously extended Vanderbilt’s recovery time. In recent weeks, the head coach of the Lakers JJ Redick hinted at Vanderbilt’s return. The team remained confident the defensive-minded forward would be back on the field before the February 6 trade deadline, an important date for Los Angeles to make key decisions about its immediate future.

After already trading for Dorian Finney-Smith, the Lakers are rumored to be looking for more moves, possibly using players like Gabe Vincent and Vanderbilt as trade deals. However, the The Lakers made it known that they would like to see how their team looks with the addition of Vanderbilt before making any conclusions about the trade market.

Recently, Anthony Davis and LeBron James signaled to the Lakers front office that they would like to see some changes. Given their record and place in the standings, the belief of these superstars is that the Lakers are just one or two games away from being a true title contender.

Adding an athletic and durable power forward to Los Angeles’ rotations will be key for Redick and the team. When the Lakers originally traded for Vanderbilt during the 2022-23 season, they did so with the intention of him being a key defensive weapon on the perimeter who could help relieve pressure from LeBron and Davis.

In 55 total games with the Lakers, Vanderbilt averaged 6.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals in approximately 21.9 minutes per game. His arrival will act as an additional trade deadline in itself, as Vanderbilt will provide the Lakers with some much-needed wing depth and energy off the bench.

Los Angeles is currently 23-18 this season. Before Vanderbilt returns to face the Warriors on Saturday, the Lakers host the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.