The Lakers‘ injury situation remains a hot topic as they prepare to defend their title as the NBA Cup champions, with updates expected soon for a few key players. With fans eagerly awaiting news on player availability, JJ Redick addressed the media during practice, providing some insight into the team’s approach to handling injuries and returning players.

Regarding forward Jarred Vanderbilt, JJ Redick didn’t offer any new information, leaving us uncertain about his potential return timeline. “No update,” was all he said in response to a question from a reporter.

However, like he was trying to make up for not having anything on Vando, Coach Redick did tell us something about Christian Wood. “He was ramping up his return to play, developed soreness [and] we scaled it back. We will have an update in about 4 weeks,” JJ informed.

This pause underscores the team’s cautious approach to his recovery, ensuring Wood’s long-term readiness for the season. These two were crucial pieces for the one bright spot last season – being the NBA Cup champions. And the fact that there is no update whatsoever on Vanderbilt is surely concerning.

The offseason saw the 6’8 forward undergoing procedures on both his feet. Initially, Vanderbilt had surgery on his right foot because of a mid-foot sprain. During the procedure on his right foot, doctors discovered a bone spur in his left foot, prompting them to perform a procedure to address that issue as well. He last took the floor on February 1 and although early updates by JJ Redick and the team were encouraging, of late, there have not been many assurances about his exact return date.

In 29 games (6 starts) last season, Vando has averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 51.8% from the field in 20 minutes. There are no two ways that, when healthy, Jarred is truly valuable to the Lakers. What about Wood, though?

JJ Redick’s update on Christian Wood might be a potential setback/end in his Lakers journey

In his ninth year now, Wood has yet to make his 2024-25 debut. Having picked up his player option for this season, Christian had hoped to get a bigger role with the Purple & Gold this year. It could have happened were it not for this injury. The man initially missed the last two months of 2023-24 with a knee injury, for which he had an arthroscopic procedure in March.

Forward to September, and the 6’8 forward/center found himself at the operating table again for another round of the same procedure. Doctors planned to re-evaluate him after eight weeks. Coming back to now, JJ Redick had a little backstory as to what Christian did before the setback.

“I know that he was working on continued strengthening of his leg and the quad and all that. I believe he had started to do a little light on-court work and developed some soreness,” Redick noted.

Now the problem here is this timeline. The 4 weeks that JJ mentioned would put the Lakers basically on December 15; the same date players who signed as free agents become eligible for trades. This isn’t ideal for a team that is already running thin at Center. Hence, it raises the possibility that Wood, who signed for the highest allowable veteran minimum (approximately $5.7 mil), may have played his last game.

Since going undrafted in 2015, he has gone through 8 teams, including the 76ers, Hornets, Bucks, etc. The longest Christian Wood has stayed is at Houston, having played the most number of games (68) there as well. Therefore, stability was something he could have found with the Lakers, but couldn’t.

However, the team urgently needs frontcourt depth, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the LA side starts exploring trade options to bring in additional help. This scenario places both Wood and the Lakers in a tight spot, making the next few weeks pivotal for how Rob Pelinka and Co. address their roster needs and Christian’s potential future in Los Angeles.