Lakers Rotation Tightening Leaves Vanderbilt on Hold; Smart and Doncic Remain Sidelined
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Jarred Vanderbilt has been healthy, but the veteran forward has not appeared in the Los Angeles Lakers’ past six games after playing in the first 14 contests of the 2025/26 season. Head coach JJ Redick said this week that the 26-year-old continues to practice and participate in “stay-ready” scrimmages, yet a nine-man rotation and the team’s recent success have kept him out of game action.
“There potentially was going to be a numbers crunch because we were probably going to play a nine-man rotation,” Redick told reporters. He added that Vanderbilt could re-enter the lineup if injuries arise.
Injury Report and Personal Absence
Guard Marcus Smart will miss his fourth consecutive game Thursday in Toronto as he continues lower-back injury management. Luka Doncic will also sit out the matchup for personal reasons; the star guard returned to Slovenia for the birth of his second child. The club has not determined whether Doncic will be available for upcoming road games in Boston on Friday and Philadelphia on Sunday.
Quarter-Season Check
Los Angeles heads into Thursday’s game at 15-5, a 60-win pace, but its +3.1 net rating ranks 12th in the NBA. The team remains undefeated in clutch situations—defined as games within five points in the final five minutes—posting a 6-0 record.
Potential Trade Focus
With the Lakers sitting 25th league-wide in made three-pointers per game, league observers, including Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko, note that outside shooting could become a priority ahead of the trade deadline.
Separately, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus explored a hypothetical scenario in which Los Angeles might pursue Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo if he were to seek a trade. Any package, Pincus wrote, would likely feature breakout guard Austin Reaves.
Source: Hoops Rumors
