The Lakers still have a roster crunch to solve, but Jarred Vanderbilt may be the one player who can breathe a little easier.
Los Angeles is sitting one spot over the league’s roster limit, which means a move has to come eventually. The front office has time to sort it out, whether that means trimming the roster or pulling off a trade over the next month. For now, though, the names being floated as possible casualties have been narrowed down.
“Clearly, the Lakers need to dump someone, and I think it's going to be one of three players," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said. "It's going to either be Dalton Knecht, Jaden Hardy, or Bronny James."
The team has been trying to create room through a trade, but nothing has landed yet. Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt have both come up in trade chatter all summer, and Evan Sidery reported that Los Angeles has been actively exploring deals involving both players.
“The Lakers are actively shopping Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade talks. After gaining two second-round picks in the Deandre Ayton trade, Los Angeles could consolidate those assets in a deal immediately for a starting-caliber wing," NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.
Even with that noise, Vanderbilt does not look like the likeliest player to get moved or waived. His contract is one hurdle, since teams may be wary of taking it on.
His connection with Luka Doncic is another. Put those together, and the signs point toward Vanderbilt staying put.
“Without finding another bad contract, like the one Thompson was on, to shorten the length of Vando's financial hit, the Lakers could be stuck. Vanderbilt might be secure in his position on the roster for yet another season as a result,” Lake Show Life’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote.
There’s also a basketball case for keeping him. If Vanderbilt can turn into a reliable corner-three shooter, he could matter a lot more in the rotation. Even without that shot, he brings the kind of defensive edge coaches love - a relentless pest who can pick up opposing players full court.
The Lakers still need to make a decision somewhere. But at the moment, Vanderbilt looks like the safest bet to remain on the roster.
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