Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt breaks silence on JJ Redick confrontation

Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt addressed his recent sideline confrontation with head coach JJ Redick following the team’s 101-73 win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, downplaying the incident and emphasizing unity as the regular season nears its conclusion.

The exchange between Vanderbilt and Redick drew attention earlier in the week during the Lakers’ 123-87 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. Tensions escalated in the second quarter when Redick removed Vanderbilt from the game just 16 seconds into the period, prompting a visible reaction from the veteran forward during a heated moment on the sideline.

Speaking to reporters postgame Friday in comments shared by Dave McMenamin, Vanderbilt indicated the situation had already been resolved internally.

“Like I said, we talked about it and moved on from it. At this point in the season, we both realize this is the group we got. So it’s definitely not a time for anybody to separate. So, I think unity, especially with our group right now, is super important.”

"We talked about it, we moved on from it. At this point in the season, we both realize this is the group we got. So it's definitely not a time for anybody to separate" – Jarred Vanderbilt on his confrontation with JJ Redick earlier this week pic.twitter.com/0I0n5BYAIG

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 11, 2026

Redick also addressed the interaction following Tuesday’s loss, minimizing the significance of the exchange and describing it as part of the competitive nature of the game. His comments were shared in a video posted by Khobi Price.

“Just a confluence of things. It’s nothing personal with him. It was normal stuff from my end. I think for all of us, being undermanned, we have to scrap and claw, we have to be all on the same page, we have to be great teammates, and we all have to play hard,” Redick said.

“I called a timeout to get him out of the game. I reacted. But again, normal interaction for me.”

Jarred Vanderbilt role shifts after JJ Redick exchange as Lakers push for No. 3 seed

Vanderbilt’s role fluctuated across the two contests. In the loss to Oklahoma City, the 27-year-old logged just five minutes, finishing with three points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. He saw increased involvement against Phoenix, contributing six points, seven rebounds, one assist and one steal while shooting 3-for-6 from the field in 19 minutes.

The Lakers improved to 52-29 with Friday’s win, securing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a top-four seed in the Western Conference. Despite already locking in a favorable position, Los Angeles remains in contention for the No. 3 seed entering the final day of the regular season.

The Lakers will host the Utah Jazz (22-59) on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. PT. A victory, combined with a loss by the Denver Nuggets (53-28) to the San Antonio Spurs, would allow Los Angeles to move up in the standings.

As the postseason approaches, Vanderbilt’s comments reflect a focus on cohesion within the locker room, with the team prioritizing continuity and alignment following a brief moment of visible frustration earlier in the week.

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