the Los Angeles Lakers received key injury updates with only 3 days away from the February 8 trade deadline. According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Lakers’ top free agent acquisition Gabe Vincent is on track to return for the stretch run. But whether he would return to the court with the Lakers or another team is a story for another day later this week. “Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, who’s become included in Los Angeles’ outgoing trade conversations, sources said, appears on track to return by early March. Vincent underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee during the final days of December. He was given an 8-10 week recovery period and has so far been recuperating on schedule, sources said,” Fischer reported on February 5.
The 27-year-old point guard has appeared in five Lakers games this season so far, averaging 5.4 points, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals. On the other hand, the fear of losing Jarred Vanderbilt for the remainder of the season has been allayed after the Lakers announced on Monday, February 5, that the he will be re-evaluated in approximately 3 to 4 weeks, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Vanderbilt has been diagnosed with a right mid-foot sprain.