Perimeter defense has been an issue for the Los Angeles Lakers all season long as the team simply lacks many options when it comes down to locking up the opposing team’s top player. Making things worse has been the unavailability of Jarred Vanderbilt, easily the team’s top defender and one of the best in the league period, when healthy.
Unfortunately, he has been anything but as of late. Vanderbilt underwent surgery on both feet following the end of last season. The Lakers were optimistic he would be ready for the start of this season, but he still has yet to debut and now the team recently announced that he has suffered a left knee effusion and will be out until at least the beginning of January.