Lakers Dealt More Bad Injury News Ahead of First Game of 2026 as Rotation Crisis Deepens

The start of a new calendar year was supposed to represent a reset for the Los Angeles Lakers. Instead, January 2026 has opened with yet another dose of troubling injury news, further complicating an already turbulent 2025–26 NBA season.

Just days before their first game of the new year against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers announced that Jarred Vanderbilt has been diagnosed with right leg soreness and is officially listed as questionable. For a team already stretched thin by injuries, Vanderbilt’s potential absence represents another significant blow—one that further exposes the Lakers’ fragile depth and defensive vulnerabilities.

Injury Woes Continue to Pile Up for Los Angeles

Vanderbilt’s status adds to a growing injury report that already includes several key rotation players. Entering Friday night’s matchup, the Lakers are dealing with the following health setbacks:

• Austin Reaves – Grade 2 left calf strain (out at least one month)

• Rui Hachimura – Right calf soreness (to be re-evaluated next week)

• Adou Thiero – Right MCL strain (out at least one month)

• Gabe Vincent – Back strain (no timetable for return)

• Jarred Vanderbilt – Right leg soreness (questionable)

At this point, injuries are no longer a short-term inconvenience for the Lakers—they are shaping the identity of the season.

Why Jarred Vanderbilt’s Injury Matters

While Vanderbilt may not carry the star power of LeBron James or Luka Dončić, his impact has been undeniable. The versatile forward averaged nearly 25 minutes per game in December, emerging as one of the team’s most reliable defenders and energy players.

With Hachimura sidelined, Vanderbilt was expected to take on an even larger role behind starting forwards LeBron James and Jake LaRavia. His absence—or limited availability—would leave head coach JJ Redick with fewer options to address the Lakers’ ongoing perimeter defense issues.

Vanderbilt’s value lies in his ability to guard multiple positions, disrupt passing lanes, and provide defensive balance in lineups that lean heavily toward offense. That defensive presence is exactly why Redick reinserted him into the rotation late in December as the Lakers struggled to contain opposing wings.

Without Vanderbilt, the Lakers’ defensive problems could worsen quickly—especially against athletic, fast-paced teams like Memphis.

A Team That Has Yet to Be Whole

One of the defining narratives of the Lakers’ season has been the complete lack of continuity. As of early January, the team has yet to play a single game with its full rotation available.

According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, both Reaves and Thiero are expected to miss at least a month, while Vincent has been sidelined since December 14 with no clear return timeline. Hachimura’s upcoming re-evaluation offers some hope, but nothing is guaranteed.

Following the Lakers’ 128–106 loss to the Detroit Pistons, LeBron James addressed the situation bluntly.

“We haven’t had a full team all year,” James said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“We got some very important guys out right now. And obviously I started the year being out. Having our All-Star two-guard Austin Reaves out, and Rui is now out. Gabe’s been out for a minute. Jaxson just came back. There’s been a lot of in and out.

“That’s very hard to get a rhythm of chemistry on the floor with guys that you know you’re going to play with every night… But still no excuse. We still got to go out and execute.”

James’ comments captured both the reality of the Lakers’ situation and the urgency surrounding it. Injuries explain the inconsistency—but they don’t erase expectations.

JJ Redick Faces an Identity Crisis in His First Season

For rookie head coach JJ Redick, the situation has been particularly challenging. Through 31 games, the Lakers have already used 17 different starting lineups, a staggering number that underscores just how unstable the rotation has been.

After the final game of 2025, Redick acknowledged the difficulty of building cohesion under such circumstances.

“The flow of lineups and rotations has been challenging for everybody,” Redick said.

“It’s a challenge for the players, and building an identity is difficult. This team is different from last year, and our identity will eventually be different—but it took time before.”

While Redick’s patience is understandable, the Western Conference offers little room for adjustment. The Lakers cannot afford to wait until late January or February to find their footing if they hope to secure a favorable playoff position.

A Brutal January Road Schedule Looms

Adding to the urgency is a daunting January slate. The Lakers will play 10 of their 16 games on the road, including difficult matchups against:

• San Antonio Spurs

• Denver Nuggets

• LA Clippers

• Dallas Mavericks

• Cleveland Cavaliers

For a healthy team, that schedule would be challenging. For an injury-ravaged roster still searching for chemistry, it’s borderline alarming.

The Lakers finished December with a 5–7 record, and without reinforcements, that trend could continue—or worsen.

A Thin Rotation Against Memphis

Assuming the current injury report holds, the Lakers are expected to start:

• Luka Dončić

• Marcus Smart

• Jake LaRavia

• LeBron James

• Deandre Ayton

The projected bench includes:

• Nick Smith Jr.

• Bronny James

• Dalton Knecht

• Maxi Kleber

• Jaxson Hayes

On paper, this does not resemble a dependable 10-man rotation for a contending team. The lack of shot creation, defensive versatility, and experience off the bench places enormous pressure on the starters—particularly James and Dončić—to shoulder unsustainable workloads.

Trade Deadline Pressure Mounts

With the February 5 trade deadline approaching, the front office’s margin for hesitation is shrinking rapidly. Injuries have exposed weaknesses in depth, perimeter defense, and secondary playmaking—issues that roster upgrades could address.

Standing pat may no longer be an option.

Even if injured players return later in the season, the Lakers risk falling too far behind in the standings to recover. The next four weeks could determine whether this season remains salvageable or slips into survival mode.

The Bigger Picture

The Lakers are not just battling opposing teams—they are fighting time, health, and uncertainty. Vanderbilt’s injury may seem minor in isolation, but in context, it symbolizes a season constantly disrupted before momentum can build.

As the Lakers tip off 2026 against Memphis, one thing is clear: this roster is running out of room for error. Every game, every lineup decision, and every front-office move now carries amplified consequences.

The question is no longer whether the Lakers can get healthy—but whether they can survive long enough to matter once they do.