Lakers Player Gets Honest About Nuggets Trading Him

Now with the Los Angeles Lakers, Jarred Vanderbilt got his start with the Denver Nuggets

Recently signing a big contract extension to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, Jarred Vanderbilt seems to have found his longterm NBA home. Getting his start in the league with the Denver Nuggets, Vanderbilt was then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he spent three seasons before being dealt to the Utah Jazz as part of the Rudy Gobert trade.

All off this led to Vanderbilt landing with the Lakers at least season's deadline, and he now will be part of what Los Angeles is building next season and beyond. Recently appearing on the Run Your Race podcast, Vanderbilt got honest about getting traded by the Nuggets at the beginning of his career, and how that time in Denver helped shape him into the player he is now.

"Obviously I felt a little type of way, just because I never got to even prove myself to be on the team," Vanderbilt said. "Obviously I appreciate them. They took a risk on me when I wasn't even able to play at the time, and allowed me to rehab and get healthy. Obviously being able to learn the game, they taught me stuff on the court just as far as how to play... It's always love going that way. But obviously as a player and competitor you want an opportunity to play, and I never got that."

Vanderbilt said he never expected to be traded by the Nuggets, and was caught off guard when it happened. While he would have liked to get an opportunity with the Nuggets, it all worked out for him.

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