Two Lakers are officially ruled out of Tuesday's season-opening contest against the reigning champion Nuggets.
For their season-opening game against the Denver Nuggets tomorrow, your Los Angeles Lakers will be two players short.
Recently re-signed power centre Jarred Vanderbilt will officially miss time with a painful heel,
according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, while LA's top rookie draught selection, shooting guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, is still out with the right knee injury that hampered him in two preseason games.
In LA's six preseason games, Vanderbilt, a 6'9" hyper-athletic power forward capable of defending spots 1-4, played just 13.5 minutes. He signed a four-year,
$48 million contract agreement with the Lakers to stay with them at least through the 2026–2027 season, with a player option for the following year when he will still be just 31 years old.
Vanderbilt doesn't provide much offensively, but his role in helping Los Angeles cover some of their best opposition playmakers was crucial.
Hood-Schifino seemed outstanding during his little preseason action with the LA Rams after being named to the Second Team All-Big Ten during his lone NCAA season with Indiana.