A somewhat forgotten man for the Los Angeles Lakers this past season was forward Jarred Vanderbilt. While he was a big spark plug for them the previous year after arriving in the Russell Westbrook trade, he was riddled with injuries during the 2023-24 campaign.
First, there was the heel bursitis that cost him the first several weeks of the season. Then, just as he was finding his game in late January, he sprained his foot and was lost for the rest of the schedule.
New Lakers head coach JJ Redick told Mike Trudell during an interview that Vanderbilt will play a big role in what the team does this coming season.
Via Lakers.com:
“I think the unique thing about Jarred, and a number of really good teams that made deep playoff runs have guys like him, that are energy, defense, ball hawks,” said Redick. “He can sort of … I call them energy shifters. He can change the energy of an entire game, and he doesn’t have to do it with scoring, which makes him really unique. I can’t wait to coach him. Obviously he has some rehab to do for the rest of the summer, but when he’s healthy, he’s going to be a big part of what we do.”
Vanderbilt quickly became a fan favorite in Los Angeles in the spring of 2023 because of his defensive activity and versatility and overall energy. He has the ability to make a major impact on the boards, and this past season, he started to find ways to be effective in the Lakers’ transition offense prior to his foot injury.
If he stays healthy and continues to find ways to contribute offensively, he should become a definite X-factor for the Purple and Gold.