Now that the Lakers are back on the floor, even in just a preseason setting, the focus turns less to the transactions of the summer and more on the style of play that will be featured this winter. But when it comes to the much-maligned big man, Jarred Vanderbilt, the two aspects clearly overlap.
Indeed, speculation has held that one approach the Lakers could take this season to help resolve some of the team’s roster issues going forward would be how they handle Vanderbilt. There could be an effort to play Vanderbilt more, after a summer spent trying to force him elsewhere on the trade market. Vanderbilt has two years and $26 million left on his contract, which made him difficult to deal this summer–no one wanted to take on the second year.
Jarred Vanderbilt Not in Early Rotation
So the idea is to play Vanderbilt more, and perhaps even to make him a starter at power forward. That way, the Lakers could rehabilitate his trade value around the NBA, giving the team a path to trade him at the deadline or next summer. The Lakers never really considered eating Vanderbilt’s money in a waive-and-stretch situation, which they would have had to have done by the August 29 deadline.
They didn’t, so he is on the team. Perhaps playing him will start bringing some more positive attention his way.
Lakers Trade Would Have to Wait
But while the front office might like that approach, Lakers coach JJ Redick–who has been no fan of Vanderbilt during their time together–does not appear to be on board. It is only two preseason games, but there doesn’t seem to be much hope for the whole Jarred Vanderbilt trade rehabilitation plan. At least not yet.
Vanderbilt did not play in the preseason opener vs. the Kings until, essentially, garbage time, after Redick had gone through and looked at his rotation guys. Vanderbilt isn’t one. In the second game, with most of the Lakers regulars out, Vanderbilt played just 16 minutes and scored two points. It does not appear that Redick is inclined to use Vanderbilt, and ig that remains the case, we won’t see him as a real trade candidate until next summer.
Lakers Give Early Indication on Trading $26 Million Veteran