The Lakers may have stumbled into a frontcourt answer on Wednesday night, and it came from a pairing JJ Redick hadn’t really had the luxury to use until the roster got thin.
With the backup center spot already a problem early in the season, Los Angeles has been searching for something behind Walker Kessler. Kevon Looney has not given them much, and that has made the issue even more glaring. But against the Clippers, Jarred Vanderbilt finally got his first run of the season, and the Lakers got a look at a combination that stood out.
Redick had kept Vanderbilt out of the first four games, but the injuries and absences forced his hand on Wednesday. Vanderbilt responded with a steady, useful night in 21 minutes, finishing with seven rebounds and two assists. He took just one shot, missed it, and still ended up at a +21.
The real takeaway, though, was how he fit alongside Sandro Mamukelashvili. Redick pointed to the Mamukelashvili-Vanderbilt duo as something worth noticing, and the numbers backed that up. Mamukelashvili was also a +21, doing his part in 30 minutes.
If the Lakers are fully healthy, Vanderbilt probably goes right back to the end of the bench. But with Looney struggling the way he has to open the season, the case for Vanderbilt gets stronger. The offense may be limited, but the defensive value is there, and that matters when the Lakers are trying to patch together a frontcourt that has already become one of their biggest concerns.
In Other News...
Luka And Austin Reaves Just Faced An Early Lakers Reality
Luka Doncic has wasted no time setting the tone for the Lakers in the 2026-27 season, piling up points at a rate that has him leading the league early and reminding everyone why he changes the ceiling of a team the moment he steps on the floor. He already had a 52-point eruption against Utah, and even in a loss to Golden State he still delivered 37, the kind of production that usually keeps a team safe on most nights.
Instead, the Lakers found themselves staring at an early-season reality check after letting a 25-point lead slip away against the Warriors. Doncic and Austin Reaves both owned the result afterward, a sign that the frustration is not just about one bad finish but about how quickly a promising start can unravel when the details slip. For a team with bigger ambitions, the message was clear enough: the scoring is there, but the habits still have to catch up. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Could Be Getting A Timely Boost As Rotation Questions Linger
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Ziaire Williams is still listed as questionable because of a left foot injury, while Adou Thiero remains out with a knee issue, so the back end of the roster is still very much in flux. For a Lakers team trying to piece together reliable minutes and keep its depth intact, Carrs availability arrives at the right time, even if the bigger question is how quickly he can translate that promise into a real role. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Collapse Against Warriors Took A Brutal Turn Fans Need To See
The Lakers had the kind of night that can linger well beyond one regular-season loss, watching a 25-point lead evaporate as Golden State stormed back for a 112-95 win. Stephen Curry was at the center of it, pouring in 31 points while drilling eight threes and adding six assists and four rebounds, but the Warriors also got a major lift from their bench as the game tilted sharply away from Los Angeles.
It also became a milestone night for Curry, who moved past Dominique Wilkins into No. 18 on the NBAs career scoring list. For the Lakers, the bigger concern is not just the final score but how quickly control disappeared once the Warriors found their rhythm, turning what looked like a comfortable home win into another frustrating reminder of how fragile a lead can be against a team that never seems out of reach. [Read more 🡒]