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Two Lakers frontcourt players are healthier than they were last season
Two Lakers frontcourt players are healthier than they were last season

USA Today

time21-07-2025

  • Sport
  • USA Today

Two Lakers frontcourt players are healthier than they were last season

The Los Angeles Lakers' roster looks significantly stronger than it did when they were knocked out of the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. While they lost key 3-and-D forward Dorian Finney-Smith, they added forward Jake LaRavia and center Deandre Ayton, and they're set to bring in veteran guard Marcus Smart once he clears waivers. Some Lakers fans have been hoping the team can trade away big man Maxi Kleber and perhaps forward Jarred Vanderbilt in return for one or two more useful players. Doing so will be difficult, because while both players will only make roughly $11 million this coming season, they probably aren't seen as productive players around the league. But there could be a trickle of optimism that both will contribute in a positive way for Los Angeles. Per Marc Stein's "Stein Line," both Vanderbilt and Kleber are healthier now than they were at any time this past season. 'I'm also hearing Jarred Vanderbilt is healthier now than he was at any point last season, which will naturally spark hope that the versatile forward seems like an offseason addition himself when training camp opens in late September,' Stein wrote. 'Ditto for Maxi Kleber, who made only one appearance — for five minutes in Game 5 of the Lakers' first-round exit to Minnesota — after he was shipped to Lakerland with [Luka] Dončić on Feb. 2.' Vanderbilt has been hampered by injuries the last two seasons and appeared in a total of just 65 games during that time. He suffered a foot injury midway through the 2023-24 season that forced him to sit out for almost a full calendar year. While he's an effective and versatile defender and energy player, he's extremely limited on offense. Perhaps the fact that he's healthy this summer will allow him to work on his 3-point shot. For his career, he has made just 28.8% of his 3-point attempts, and opposing teams routinely leave him wide open in the corners. In the past, Kleber has been a decent outside shooter and defender, and at 6-foot-10, he can play the 4 and 5 positions. But he suffered a foot injury shortly before coming to L.A., and before that, he shot a putrid 38.5% overall and 26.5% from downtown this past season. In seven previous seasons, he made a solid 35.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc. If he returns to form, he could be a nice backup center for L.A. and perhaps even more ahead of Jaxson Hayes on its depth chart at that position.

Lakers Star Turns Heads With 1-Word Message After Unexpected News
Lakers Star Turns Heads With 1-Word Message After Unexpected News

Yahoo

time20-06-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Lakers Star Turns Heads With 1-Word Message After Unexpected News

Lakers Star Turns Heads With 1-Word Message After Unexpected News originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers grabbed national headlines on Wednesday after ESPN reported the Buss family is selling a majority stake to Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter for a staggering $10 billion—marking the largest sale in U.S. pro sports history. The news triggered a wave of discussion across the NBA community, with many speculating about implications for the team's direction, roster stability, and what new ownership might bring. Advertisement Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million, ushering in the franchise's most successful era with 11 championships, ultimately transforming LA into a basketball powerhouse. Now, under Walter—whose Dodgers won two World Series—new ownership brings deep resources and global ambition to propel the franchise forward. After the unexpected news of the Lakers' ownership transition, forward Jarred Vanderbilt drew strong reactions from fans with a post on Instagram. "Lab," he captioned his post. However, fans caught wind of the post on social media, and many opted to joke about the timing, tying it to speculations about roster moves under new ownership: Advertisement 'lmaooo 😂😂😂 he doesn't want to leave,' one fan wrote. 'Lmao he don't wanna go back to Utah,' another fan added. 'man he been working on that shot for 3 years now and haven't really made that much improvement lol,' another fan said. Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2)Stephen Lew-Imagn Images 'Nawl buddy it's time,' one fan mocked. 'He's next to leave,' another fan declared. 'The nets gon' need that from him for sure,' another fan mentioned. Vanderbilt, the defensive-minded forward, quietly made his mark in 2024-25 despite struggles with injuries. He averaged 4.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. Related: Calls Mount for Mavericks to Trade Anthony Davis After New Report Related: Celtics Make Unexpected Luka Doncic, LeBron James Post on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

Lakers insider chimes in on huge three-way trade idea suggested by fan
Lakers insider chimes in on huge three-way trade idea suggested by fan

USA Today

time14-06-2025

  • Sport
  • USA Today

Lakers insider chimes in on huge three-way trade idea suggested by fan

Lakers insider chimes in on huge three-way trade idea suggested by fan The Los Angeles Lakers need two main additional pieces this summer: a starting-level center and a two-way wing who is at least a 3-and-D player. They have limited trade assets and very little salary cap flexibility, and therefore, addressing both needs will be difficult. But perhaps where there is a will, there is a way. If the Lakers get creative enough in trade discussions, and if at least one other team is willing to do them a solid, perhaps they will significantly buttress their roster. On a recent episode of "Buha's Block," Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha invited insider Anthony Irwin from ClutchPoints. Buha explored a three-team trade a fan proposed that would give Los Angeles not only the center it badly needs but also an athletic two-way wing who was an All-Star starter just three years ago. In this trade idea, it would land Nic Claxton from the Brooklyn Nets and Andrew Wiggins from the Miami Heat while giving up forwards Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt, big man Maxi Kleber, wing Dalton Knecht, guard Gabe Vincent, a 2031 first-round draft, this year's No. 55 pick and 2028 and 2030 pick swaps. While this trade looks good on paper for L.A., Irwin sounded skeptical that it would work in real life. "If there's a team that I would say might not be as interested, it would be Brooklyn, because Jarred Vanderbilt's contract is one of the more negative assets out there," Irwin responded. "I don't think the Nets would be interested in taking on Vando… Basically, the Lakers would have to throw another pick swap out there, or they would not be able to protect the first that they sent to Brooklyn in that case." "Claxton is someone who is going to have a lot of value around the league," he added. "If you're gonna send out Claxton and you bring back one of the worst contracts in the sport, then you really have to get paid for it." While Claxton would be the athletic, rim-protecting big man who is also a lob threat and a good rebounder that the Lakers need, Wiggins would also be a big get. He averaged 18.0 points a game and shot 37.4% from 3-point range this season, and he's also an excellent defender. At 6-foot-7, he can play at and defend multiple positions, and his experience winning an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors certainly doesn't hurt. At age 30, he could provide at least two or three more productive years. But in this trade idea, Los Angeles would have to replenish its depth at the power forward and guard positions. If it has a plan to do so, perhaps this would be the can't-miss deal it would want to make.

Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt
Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt

Yahoo

time03-06-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt

Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt
Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt

USA Today

time03-06-2025

  • Sport
  • USA Today

Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt

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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