Jarred Vanderbilt became a pivotal part of the Lakers after the trade deadline moves. His impact and his weaknesses were undeniable.
Could he be a piece for the Lakers now and going forward?
From @CooperHalpern https://t.co/Nx8LI5BAFm
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) June 15, 2023
Despite his inspired defensive effort and consistent spot in the starting lineup, Jarred Vanderbilt’s many limitations took a toll on his overall value to the Lakers.
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Should the Lakers Bring Him Back?
This offseason, as long as they do so before the end of June, the Lakers are free to waive Jarred Vanderbilt and pay him only $300,000 of his contract. However, Vando’s imperfect play is somewhat mitigated by the low price-tag facing the Lakers if they do decide to keep him. For just $4.5 million, the Lakers can retain a highly useful player in certain circumstances, even if those situations are more limited than his deployment on the team so far. As a value proposition alone, Vanderbilt is worth keeping around.
Further, at just 24 years old, he’s younger than both Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, meaning there’s a chance he is capable of refining his jumper into something workable, even given his genuinely busted form. If that doesn’t happen, though, Vando is a nice tool to keep in the shed, even if only for certain types of projects.
Will He Return?
The Lakers will almost certainly guarantee Vanderbilt’s contract, regardless of whether they intend to deal him. Still, his contract is basically twice the veteran’s minimum and too small to be a significant chunk of a major deal, so there probably aren’t many scenarios where the Lakers have to send him out in return for a star — if they even decide to go that route.
Nonetheless, with trade rumors swirling and the June 22 NBA Draft swiftly approaching followed by free agency at the beginning of July, whether Vando’s career continues as a Laker will be determined soon.
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