The Lakers walked into Wednesday night’s matchup with the Clippers already short-handed, and the absences of Luka Doncic and Ziaire Williams only tightened the squeeze on their frontcourt options. That’s the kind of night that can force a coach to get creative, and JJ Redick made it clear Jarred Vanderbilt was on his mind.
Redick said before the game that using Vanderbilt at backup center is not the preferred setup, but the circumstances could leave the Lakers with few alternatives. Los Angeles is in the middle of a brutal five-games-in-seven-nights stretch, and the team has been pushed hard for dependable center minutes.
“I think my conversations with Vando last year were a lot about putting him in a position to succeed … the second half of the Luka’s first season with us post-trade, just for position, we didn’t have anybody outside of Jaxson [Hayes] who could really play. So he did that by necessity,” Redick said during his pregame press conference.
“I think he’s better suited obviously to be more of a wing and a forward and be out on the perimeter defensively. But there’s going to be moments where he’s going to, by necessity, have to play some five.”
Vanderbilt had not appeared in any of the Lakers’ first four games entering the matchup with the Clippers, despite being one of the team’s most established holdovers. Only Austin Reaves has been with the club longer. Redick even pointed to Vanderbilt during training camp as an example of a player who can stand out because he knows the system and understands what the staff wants from him.
Still, the last couple of seasons have made it tougher for the nine-year veteran to lock down a consistent rotation role. He has usually found a place in the regular season, but his minutes have dropped in each of the past two playoffs.
Last season, Vanderbilt played in 65 games and made three starts while averaging a little more than 17 minutes a night. He finished with 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 47.1 percent from the field, 29.3 percent from 3-point range and 58.9 percent from the free-throw line.
With the Lakers needing size, defense and rebounding, Vanderbilt has a clear opening. And even if Doncic and Williams’ injuries are not expected to be major concerns, the situation gives him a chance to show he belongs in the rotation.
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