Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) controls the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Lakers will seem to enter the upcoming season with virtually the same roster, minus some key additions.
The Lakers have only lost one player this offseason and added three new players who could play vital roles for the team. While that is the case, the core remains intact, led by the likes of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura.
Whether the current roster is enough to compete in the loaded Western Conference remains to be seen. The Lakers’ top three are as good as it gets in the NBA; however, the questions lie more with the others for the purple and gold.
The Lakers’ depth is not as strong, which is one of the primary reasons they fell short in the first round of the playoffs last season.
One of their key players who didn’t step up when needed most was forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who has had difficulty staying on the court. Injuries for the last two seasons have riddled Vanderbilt, but it appears that they are no longer affecting him, at least this offseason.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Vanderbilt is healthier now than he’s been for the past handful of offseasons.
“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.”
The Lakers traded for the defensive-minded forward in February 2023. He came out of the gates hot in the purple and gold and established himself as a fan favorite.
However, after the 2022-23 season, Vanderbilt was dealing with a severe foot injury heading into the 2023-24 season. That season, he was held to 29 games with six starts. Vanderbilt missed the back half of the season and the playoffs.
As for the 2024-25 season, the 26-year-old was held to 36 games after making his season debut in January 2025. While he was on the court, it was clear that he was not the same player that the Lakers had traded for in 2023.
Vanderbilt will now enter the second season of his four-year, $48 million contract with the Lakers.