Perhaps the most surprising thing for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason is that Jarred Vanderbilt is still with the franchise. Not that he is being forced out, but he has reportedly been someone the Lakers have tried to move.
Considering the number of additions the Lakers have made and those that have gone away, Vanderbilt still remains, but that may not be the case for so long.
According to ClutchPoints’ David Yapkowitz, the Lakers’ summer additions may be a catalyst to trade Vanderbilt.
“Vanderbilt still fits the Lakers’ roster in the sense that he’s among their most versatile defensive players, and he will always bring 100 percent energy, even if it does go overboard at times,” Yapkowitz wrote. “But with the signings of (Ziaire) Williams and (Matisse) Thybulle, that seems to squeeze him out of the bench rotation, of which he already was on the edge of last season.”
Vanderbilt is expected to be a depth piece now that the Lakers have a decent number of forwards. This has fueled speculation over an exit.
Why Vanderbilt Remains a Prime Lakers Trade Candidate
The attempt to move Vanderbilt has been floating around throughout the offseason. However, there has been no movement yet. A deal with the Atalanta Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga was heavily speculated, but nothing came out of it.
Vanderbilt’s salary looks to be a hurdle. He is owed $12.4 million for the upcoming season and has a player-option for the 2027-28 season.
“He’s still capable of helping a team, but his contract combined with his recent injury history probably causes teams to pause,” Yapkowitz added. “Plus getting a team to agree to take him might cost the Lakers some draft capital and they probably aren’t too keen on that. Nevertheless, he is still a prime candidate to be moved eventually.
Vanderbilt does not earn max dollars or anywhere close, but his deal still comes across as significant. The Lakers can clear up significant payroll if they move him. They can trade him individually or create a package that can see multiple players leave.
The package option is more feasible for all parties as the Lakers would also add one or two more players together with Vanderbilt. Los Angeles still needs to trim the roster slot to one more position.
Vanderbilt arrived L.A. in 2023 and has been in the rotation when healthy.
L.A.’s Possible Approach
Los Angeles reportedly pursued Kuminga before he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers may still explore a wing addition, which means that Vanderbilt will offer some leverage in making any deal.
The big question is whether teams will be open to taking up Vanderbilt’s salary. He also has an injury history, which is alarming, and the 65 games he played in last season was kind of a one-off season in recent years.
The Lakers could still keep Vanderbilt and use him in their rotation. However, their financial situation is only getting tighter, which will impact whether they seek more additions to the roster.
Given his salary, Vanderbilt’s minutes will need to be above fringe numbers, but with Sandro Mamukelashvilli and Jake LaRavia battling it out, it will be hard.
Lakers Expected to Trade 6’8″ Often-Injured PF After 2 New Roster Additions