Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt quickly became a fan favorite when the Los Angeles Lakers acquired him in the February 2023 trade that mercifully jettisoned Russell Westbrook. He became a contributor as they made their run to the Western Conference Finals that year, even as his limitations became clear.
But last season, he was riddled with injuries. A heel ailment forced him to miss the first several weeks of the schedule, and just when he was hitting his stride, he injured his foot in early February and was forced to sit the rest of the way.
That foot injury caused Vanderbilt to miss the first couple of months of this season, which made fans pessimistic that he would return at all. But he made his season debut on Jan. 25 and remained relatively healthy the rest of the way.
Jarred Vanderbilt's season stats
In 36 regular-season games with the Lakers, Vanderbilt averaged 4.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 16.1 minutes a game while shooting 48.8% from the field.
In the first round of the NBA playoffs, he averaged 1.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.0 minutes a game while shooting 33.3% from the field.
Overall analysis
Vanderbilt, the 6-foot-8 forward in his seventh season out of the University of Kentucky, continued to be a spark plug off the bench for Los Angeles. He would often box out hard and help out on the boards, which was something the team badly needed. Defensively, he continued to show his versatility and effectiveness by guarding players at multiple positions.
However, his weaknesses remain intact. He shot 28.1% from 3-point range, and he's the type of player opposing teams would almost practically pay to shoot the ball from the perimeter. He isn't a strong finisher at the rim in traffic, and sometimes, his effort and energy aren't fully consistent from game to game.
Figuring out how to best use Vanderbilt on the offensive end continues to be a process for the Lakers. He can handle the ball in transition and finish fast breaks fairly well, but in the halfcourt game, he often seems nearly useless offensively.
What's next for Vanderbilt?
The forward signed a contract extension prior to last season, and that extension runs through the 2027-28 season. While he will make between $11.5 million and $13.29 million for the rest of that contract, he may not be an easy player to trade due to his very limited offensive game.
Still, expect to see his name in trade rumors and mock trades over the next few weeks until the Lakers' roster for next season takes shape.
Overall grade: B-minus/B
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