Andy Kamenetzky here, the host of the daily Locked On Lakers podcast, with your daily Locked On Lakers newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Lakers and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
The Lakers have had long stretches this year where news on Jarred Vanderbilt has essentially been non-existent. And for the most part, it has been a matter of no news not equaling good news: There’s no update because he’s not making progress.
Well, sometimes getting news isn’t good, either. Such was the case Wednesday, when the Lakers did check in on Jarred Vanderbilt. And ... it’s not great! His feet aren’t healing as fast as the Lakers had hoped. Is it a “setback?” They say no, likely framing “setback” as something involving a recurrence of the injury. This isn’t that, but he’s also not recovering as fast as the Lakers clearly had hoped when training camp began. So they’ll slow things down, and reassess in a couple weeks.
Needless to say, if Vando’s rehab is ramping down more than up, it means it’s unlikely he’s on the floor for at least a month. Possibly more. And the length of his absence, combined with the recovery from injury, makes it fair to wonder how effective he’d be upon his return. How long would he need to round into form? Remember, last year Vanderbilt played poorly after he returned from injury the first time, and then he got hurt again. (A sequence of events surely on the team’s mind as they try to navigate this year’s problems.) It wasn’t until he came back the second time that Vando actually made positive contributions.
So given how slowly this has gone, should the Lakers, even 14 games in (with 15 tonight at home against Orlando) approach the rest of the year as if Vanderbilt won’t make a meaningful contribution? Would that be the wisest course of action? To prepare for the worst, and be surprised if happier events intervene?
Overheard In This Episode...
1. “I do think though that when it comes to just the handling of information and even setting of expectations and understanding with Vando, this has been a long process of confusion generated on their end or confusion allowed to be generated.”
2. “I would just assume he’s not going to play. I would assume that you have a Kendrick Nunn situation, that you have a Vincent situation from last year where, yeah, Vincent came back, but he was sort of fundamentally unplayable when he did.”
3. “I think specificity can at least on some level, double for competence. And when you aren’t getting your players back and you’re not communicating what’s going on well... Taken individually, these things may not matter a lot. Taken collectively, they get much, much worse.”
A refrain I’ve increasingly heard from casuals, like the talking heads on the NBA’s biggest broadcast partners, is that the league is too homogenous these days, that every team just goes out there and chucks up threes. Every game is the same.
Leaving aside the shortsightedness of famous, influential media analysts dumping on their own product, it’s a common enough complaint that I felt an urge to investigate. My eyeballs tell me the league’s never been more diverse and fun, thanks largely to the absurd wealth of stars today with skill sets as bespoke as their draft night suits. Jokic’s Nuggets look nothing like Tatum’s Celtics look nothing like Brunson’s Knicks, and to suggest otherwise is willful ignorance.
As I wrote about for Basketball Poetry yesterday, the current top five offenses are Boston, Cleveland, New York, the Lakers, and Dallas. Those five teams rank first, 14th, 17th, 24th, and 21st, respectively, in share of shots that are triples. You certainly don’t need to launch a million threes relative to your peers to score the basketball successfully.
Of course, that’s a rather superficial analysis. Regardless of rank, what if the absolute numbers are all getting closer together? That would represent a growing sameness.
I looked at shot data from this season, a decade ago, and 20 years ago to see how much the share of three-pointers had changed.
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
Stat Owen Phillips of The F5 looks at how often centers defend guards, how often perimeter players are involuntarily guarded by centers (aka the Tony Allen effect), and much more in his analytical newsletter.
Analysis Jared Dubin of Last Night, In Basketball discusses something related: what kind of players are guarding point guards these days?
Must Read Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic talks about the NBA’s increasing difficulty for defensive-minded, older players, but the real story is that Draymond Green claims to have started lifting just four years ago.
Preview Prepare for the Lakers’ next matchup against the Magic. Find out the start time, TV details, and injury report to stay informed.(Silver Screen and Roll)
Injury Jarred Vanderbilt will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to his current injury. His absence continues to impact the Lakers’ lineup. More on his status and recovery timeline. (Daily News)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
The Randomness Of Fantasy Basketball On A Wednesday In The NBA
Nov 20, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images|Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Top Five Fantasy Takeaways from Wednesday’s Games
1. Paul George’s Knee Injury Concerns
Paul George’s knee hyperextension during the 76ers vs. Grizzlies game is a significant concern for fantasy managers. While initial reports suggest no structural damage, his availability in the coming games is uncertain. This situation could open up opportunities for other players on the 76ers to step up, making it crucial to monitor updates closely.
2. Unpredictable Pelicans vs. Cavaliers Game
The Pelicans vs. Cavaliers matchup was a bizarre affair, with unexpected lineups and performances. Elfrid Payton started for the Pelicans, and Jaylon Tyson shone for the Cavs, but these anomalies are unlikely to have long-term fantasy implications. Managers should view this game as an outlier and avoid making hasty roster changes based on these performances.
3. Pacers’ Struggles and Tyrese Haliburton’s Slump
The Pacers are facing challenges, particularly with Tyrese Haliburton’s shooting woes. His road performance has been notably poor, possibly due to lingering back issues. Despite this, Haliburton’s track record suggests a turnaround is likely, making him a prime buy-low candidate for managers willing to take a risk on his recovery.
Click the button below to see how Norman Powell’s injury could open up opportunities for the Clippers, and a top 50 player returns to action.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Lakers podcasts.
Jarred Vanderbilt Remains Out Indefinitely. Should the Lakers Expect Him to Return This Season? The Lakers have had long stretches this year where news on Jarred Vanderbilt has essentially been non-existent. And for the most part, it has been a matter of no news not equaling good news. There’s no update because he’s not making progress. Well, sometimes getting news isn’t good, either.
Dalton Knecht Scores 37, Lakers Beat Utah for 6th Straight Win In a town that has seen its share of “manias” around young, exciting players (Fernandomania, Nomomania, and so on) it’s fair to think we’re probably one more big game from full blown Knectomania in Los Angeles. Dalton Knecht, who entered Tuesday’s game against Utah at the Crypt riding a big hot streak, got even hotter. He finished with 37, on a cartoonish 9-11 from 3-point range.
Should Dalton Knecht Stay in the Starting Lineup? The Lakers are riding a five-game winning streak, with a very good chance to make it six tonight at home against the 3-10 Utah Jazz. So while the hot start—the Lakers wake up Tuesday morning as the 3rd seed in the West—has fans rightly excited, it’s not all they’re talking about. First-rounder Dalton Knecht has, after a shaky start, grown red hot as a shooter.
