LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers were hit with a double whammy prior to their game against the LA Clippers on Wednesday evening when it was announced that both Luka Doncic and Ziaire Williams were ruled out due to injury concerns. With the Lakers needing roster depth, especially in the front-court, head coach JJ Redick acknowledged that he was considering turning to a familiar face in Jarred Vanderbilt.

Ahead of the Lakers’ game against the Clippers, JJ Redick admitted that it was not ideal to play Jarred Vanderbilt at backup center, but that situation might call for it. The Lakers are in the midst of a grueling stretch of five games in seven nights and have been pushed to the limit in terms of consistent center depth.

“I think my conversations with Vando last year were a lot about putting him in a position to succeed … the second half of the Luka’s first season with us post-trade, just for position, we didn’t have anybody outside of Jaxson [Hayes] who could really play. So he did that by necessity,” Redick said during his pregame press conference. “I think he’s better suited obviously to be more of a wing and a forward and be out on the perimeter defensively. But there’s going to be moments where he’s going to, by necessity, have to play some five.”

Coming into the game against the Clippers, Vanderbilt had yet to play in any of the Lakers’ first four games. Behind Austin Reaves, he’s the second-longest tenured player on the team. Back during training camp, Redick pointed to an example of Vanderbilt having a strong practice day due to his familiarity with the system and what the coaching staff wants on the court.

But it’s been hard at times for the nine-year veteran to crack the rotation over the past couple of seasons. He’s tended to play a regular role during the season, but his playing time has decreased in each of the past two playoffs.

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He’s coming off a season in which he appeared in 65 games, including three starts, at a little over 17 minutes per game. He averaged 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists with splits of 47.1 percent shooting from the field, 29.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 58.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

With the Lakers in need of depth to provide defense and rebounding, two of Vanderbilt’s strengths, he has a prime opportunity that even with Doncic and Williams’ injuries not expected to be concerning, to prove he should stick in the rotation.