LA Lakers Injury Report (Dec 5): Latest update on Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura's availability

The LA Lakers will face the Phoenix Suns in the quarter-finals of the In-Season Tournament on Tuesday, December 5. At the time of writing, both Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura are listed as "probable" and will likely participate in the contest.

Anthony Davis is also listed as probable, while LeBron James is questionable due to a left calf contusion. Gabe Vincent remains out due to a left knee effusion. Having both Hachimura and Vanderbilt back in the rotation will provide the Lakers with a significant boost, especially on the defensive end.

The Purple and Gold have remained competitive to begin the season despite the string of injuries they've dealt with, notably to some of their best defensive players. Vanderbilt and Hachimura could make a big impact against the Suns, who are still without Bradley Beal.

Still, Darvin Ham will be hoping his star duo of Davis and LeBron are both cleared to participate in the contest against Phoenix. The Lakers need their two best players on the court if they're going to have any chance of progressing to the semi-finals, especially if they're facing off against Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, who are two of the best players in the NBA.

---

The Los Angeles Lakers should be aiming to win the In-Season Tournament

It might be new, but the In-Season Tournament is providing teams with another chance to be successful this season. Winning a championship will remain the top priority for Darvin Ham and his LA Lakers team; however, being crowned as the inaugural In-Season Tournament champions will likely be a draw.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis have won one championship during their time in Los Angeles and could view the In-Season Tournament as a way to catapult themselves back into the championship picture again this season.

Winning often generates more winning. Securing a mid-season tournament win is the type of success that generates momentum for a franchise and helps push performance levels to new heights, especially for a team with such lofty goals. Still, as we've seen this far, every team is competing at a high level during the tournament, and there will be no easy victories.

Still, when you have LeBron on your team, giving maximum effort is a minimum requirement. He will likely want the title of In-Season Tournament champion. After all, in his final few seasons of NBA basketball, adding to his legacy and resume should be the primary priority. But for now, the Suns stand in their way.