![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="438" width="780" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
The Los Angeles Lakers have seen enough from Jarred Vanderbilt and plan to bring him back next season.
Vanderbilt has a team option for next season and the Lakers have already committed to bringing him back, per Jova Buha of The Athletic.
“Vanderbilt has a $4.7 million team option for next season, one the Lakers plan on exercising. He’s hopeful he can put down roots in Los Angeles as part of what he deems a “high-caliber organization,” Buha reported.
The 24-year-old power forward was added at the trade deadline and has made an impact. He’s averaging 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds, averaging better than a steal per game. Vanderbilt is also a very versatile defender and is playing around 24 minutes per night for the Lakers.
Vanderbilt takes a lot of pride in his defense and covering the other team’s top threats.
“For me individually, man, just try to get those guys out of rhythm,” Vanderbilt said late in the regular season. “I think that’s one of my best ways to make an impact is taking their best player out of the game and I think when we do that and allow those other guys [the chance] to beat us we get good results.”
Lakers Complete Turnaround With Playoff Berth
The Lakers’ roster moves for Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Malik Beasley, D’Angelo Russell and Mo Bamba helped change the direction of LA’s season after a very rough start. On Tuesday the Lakers were able to clinch a playoff berth by knocking off the Timberwolves with a 108-102 comeback win in the play-in tournament.
“When we went 2-10, the analytics side gave us a 0.3% chance of making the postseason,” LeBron James said after the win, per ESPN. “For us to turn around our season, for us to have an opportunity to compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, that’s all you can ask for.”
The Lakers are now being looked at as a legitimate contender, although they have a lot of work ahead of them. That starts with the Memphis Grizzlies, who finished as the No. 2 seed and will be the Lakers’ first-round opponent.
Lakers Want to Get Anthony Davis Going
Lakers star big man Anthony Davis put up 24 points and 15 rebounds against the Timberwolves but head coach Darvin Ham was still not happy with the amount of double teams he faced.
“We got to be able to move him around and that falls on my staff and I, because they’re coming,” Ham said. “Any isolation, he’s gonna get double-teamed. So trying to get him in more pick-and-rolls, more side action, moving him to different areas on the floor, not so much on the side, maybe more in the middle.”
The Lakers also didn’t get much from Russell, who had been a sparkplug for LA as of late. Against his former team he was just 1-of-9 for the field, scoring 2 points. Ham doesn’t expect that to last.
“You know, you’re gonna have rough nights out here. I have all of the confidence in the world in DLo,” Ham said. “We’re gonna need him during this run that we plan to make starting with Game 1 at Memphis.”
The Lakers open up their series against the Grizzlies on Sunday.
0 Comments