LeBron James Shares Excitement Over Recent Teammate's Extension
With just a few weeks left to go until training camp starts, the Los Angeles Lakers made another move to add to their already productive offseason. They extended young forward Jarred Vanderbilt on a four-year deal that is worth $48 million.
Vanderbilt came over to Los Angeles during the trade deadline last season, and he played a major role in helping the team get to the Western Conference Finals. LA picked up his option this offseason to have him remain with the team and now has rewarded him with this new extension.
It may have been a slight overpay for Vanderbilt, due to his limited offensive skills, but LA likely wanted to get out ahead of the market next summer. Now, they won’t have to compete with any other team for his services, and he remains with them for the foreseeable future.
Star LeBron James enjoyed the hustle of Vanderbilt last season, and once the move was officially announced, he shared his excitement on social media.
It’s a cool way to show Vanderbilt how much he appreciates him, and that he is excited to be playing with him again this coming year. It’s these little things that James does that can go a long way in building trust and chemistry.
Over 26 games with the Lakers last season, Vanderbilt averaged 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He showed incredible skills on the defensive end of the floor as well, taking on some of the toughest challenges that the team faced. Vanderbilt took on the responsibility of guarding guys like Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
His versatility allows for the Lakers to mix and match different types of lineups, and if he can get his offensive game to be stronger, this will be a steal of a contract. He was played off the floor in the Western Conference Finals because he couldn’t consistently hit three-point shots.
It should be a strong year for Vanderbilt, as he gets to spend the entire time within the Lakers system. He is going to be a valuable piece to this team and will help them on their quest to get Banner 18.
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