Jarred Vanderbilt is still rocking the Forum blue and gold, and believe it or not, this man is now the second-longest tenured Laker on the squad. After a massive roster overhaul this offseason, only Austin Reaves has been around longer than Vando, who was traded here back in February 2023. We’re talking about his fifth season, folks, and for a guy who shipped Russell Westbrook out and helped catapult us to the conference finals, you’d think he’d have a permanent spot locked down.
The Defensive Ace Who Lost His Footing
Remember when Vando was a legit chaos-inducing defensive ace under Darvin Ham? He solidified his spot in that rotation, wreaking havoc and making life miserable for opposing offenses. It was awesome to watch! But man, things went sideways fast under Coach JJ Redick. It’s fair to say Vanderbilt lost serious ground in his pursuit of a lasting role that matches his salary. We’ve seen stretches where he gets maybe two or three shifts a game, then suddenly he’s racking up DNP-CDs. Why? Because his production, and frankly, his entire skill set on both ends of the court, proved a bit too inconsistent and just plain lacking for Redick not to explore other options. It’s frustrating to see that kind of talent sidelined.
The Forward Spot Is Open, But What’s The Answer?
Here’s the kicker: even with this massive roster remade, we still don’t have an established starter at the forward spot opposite Luka Dončić. That’s a huge opening! You’d think this means Vanderbilt isn’t buried yet, right? There are definitely other alternatives in-house, and yeah, on paper, some of them feel like they’d have the upper hand. But as long as Vando is on this roster, you absolutely cannot count him out. Those recent roster changes? They just might make him a better fit under Redick than he was the previous two seasons. We’re all hoping so, at least.
When people talk about Vando finding a role, the easiest thing to point to is offense. “Just get him to shoot better from deep!” That’s the key, right? And sure, knocking down shots is meaningful for any player’s utility. But putting *all* the emphasis on his offense leading to more minutes? That feels disingenuous, like we’re missing the forest for the trees.
It’s Time to Trust the Defensive Grind
No, the real focus has to be on Vando’s defense. It’s about finding the *right* role for him, and more importantly, the *right scheme* where he can truly excel. That’s what will do more for his place in the pecking order than him hitting a few more threes. This isn’t an exaggeration either. Last year, he only connected on 29 of his 99 three-point attempts, a cold 29.3%. Six more made shots from deep probably wouldn’t magically fix everything if the defensive scheme isn’t built to maximize his unique talents. We need to see Redick figure out how to leverage that chaos-inducing defensive energy.
The stakes are high for Vando as we head into this season preview series. With that open forward spot and his established defensive chops, this could be his chance to finally solidify that lasting role. It’s up to Coach Redick to scheme him into success. We need that defensive intensity back in full force, and we need it now!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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