Lakers rumors: The big hangup hurting LA’s chances of Jarred Vanderbilt trade

With the Los Angeles Lakers preparing for the 2026 NBA Draft, which starts on Tuesday, the team is also looking to bolster its roster, though there are players who could receive interest on the squad. As rumors surround the Lakers regarding trades the team could make this offseason, there is some new insight given about the status of Jarred Vanderbilt.

The 27-year-old could receive interest from other teams in the league due to his defensive skills and rebounding, as Dan Woike of The Athletic mentions, but it is his player option on his contract that could deter other franchises from going after him.

“A specific team needing defensive versatility and rebounding with offense to spare could find use for Vanderbilt, but his $13.3 million player option for the 2027-28 season seems like a lock to be picked up, making his contract a rough one for a team to take,” Woike wrote on Sunday.

More on the status of Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt 

Looking at this past season for Vanderbilt on the Lakers, he averaged 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field in 65 games, also averaging 17.4 minutes per contest. Woike goes into the ways that other teams could take on Vanderbilt’s contract and how Los Angeles could find value in a specific way.

“Basically, in a vacuum, you’d be paying teams something in terms of capital (either players or picks) to grab that contract,” Woike wrote. “To get back an established player on a good contract, you’d have to meet the asking price and whatever the cost is to get off of the players you’re sending out. I do think that if, the Lakers were creative about some of the ‘bad’ contracts that exist around the league, they could search for players who fit their specific needs and situation and try to find value that way.”

At any rate, it remains to be seen if Vanderbilt is traded this offseason at all or if he stays with the Lakers, as the team is looking to further improve after finishing with a 53-29 record, putting them fourth in the Western Conference.

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