It's been nearly two weeks since the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the early playoff exit still stings as much now as it did then.
Instead of continuing to push toward a potential NBA Finals appearance, the Lakers are on the outside looking in, and it'll be up to general manager Rob Pelinka to turn things around this summer. Los Angeles can use the 2025 NBA draft, trade market, and free agency to help upgrade the roster, meaning some underperforming veterans might be kicked to the curb to make room for fresh faces.
Assuming that GM Pelinka is currently deciding who does and doesn't deserve to be brought back in the summer, Lakers fans wouldn't be surprised if one player who robbed the team blind is sent packing.
Jarred Vanderbilt Robbed Lakers Blind With 2024-25 Performance
Veteran forward Jarred Vanderbilt is, without a question, one of the guiltiest players when it comes to robbing the Lakers this season. The former Kentucky Wildcat was on the books with a $10.7 million salary cap hit in 2024-25, but his performance on the floor didn't come close to matching that price tag.
It was another injury-filled year for Vanderbilt, who only made 36 regular-season appearances before appearing in all five playoff contests. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old forward's health simply hasn't been the same since last year's lingering foot injury, and his latest numbers solidify that fact.
In his limited appearances, Vanderbilt averaged only 4.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals while playing 16.1 minutes per game — noticeably down from the 20-minute average he saw in 2023-24. The former 2018 second-rounder was far from efficient with the ball in his hands, shooting an uninspiring 48.8% from the floor and 28.1% from deep.
Some Lakers fans were optimistic the postseason's arrival would motivate Vanderbilt enough to return to the 2022-23 version of himself, but that didn't happen either. Instead, the Houston, TX native only averaged 1.4 points and 3.8 rebounds with a 33.3 FG% in a first-round series that saw him only play 12 minutes per night; further illustrating his falling out of the coaching staff's favor.
Now that the trade market is about to heat up, it wouldn't be surprising if Vanderbilt is moved this summer. Not only because the Lakers will be looking to give LeBron James and Luka Doncic some help, but because Vanderbilt is currently under contract for $11.5 million in 2025-26 and $12.4 million in 2026-27 with a $13.2 million player option in 2027-28.
If the Lakers don't see him as a viable long-term fixture, it makes sense to cut ties sooner rather than later after the veteran forward just robbed them blind.
Lakers fans can expect to know more about Vanderbilt's future in L.A., as well as other veterans' uncertain outlooks, once the 2024-25 NBA postseason wraps up.