Why a Potential Lakers Sixth Man Needs to Step up to Begin the Season
The Los Angeles Lakers have just received tough news, just days away from the start of the NBA regular season. Future NBA Hall of Famer and Lakers star LeBron James will be out for at least three to four weeks because of sciatica on his right side. James is expected to miss the season opener against the Warriors and has not played throughout the preseason. Off the bench, there is a player who should expect big minutes while LeBron is out and needs to play at a high level for recognition.
Jarred Vanderbilt is expected to receive big minutes following the injury to LeBron, at least for the beginning of the season. This has been an issue for Vanderbilt, which usually had a hard time receiving minutes over the past few seasons with the Lakers. However, Vanderbilt provides defense and rebounding; he can defend all five positions, and brings a high level of energy on the court. On the offensive side, he struggles because he doesn't prioritize scoring, and he also has trouble staying healthy throughout an 82-game season. Although Vanderbilt has shown some signs of improvement during the first two games of the preseason, he needs to remain consistent on both the offensive and defensive ends so that he can receive big minutes later on in the season and in the playoffs to help his team win a championship.
Vanderbilt is expected to receive more time on the perimeter this season compared to the post last season. This is because the Lakers now have more reliable bigs down low, allowing Vanderbilt to fit more comfortably into his usual forward position. He is in good shape and has been looking more consistent on the offensive end, while maintaining his ability to defend multiple positions, rebound on both ends, and hustle. Suppose Vanderbilt continues to play as well as he did in the preseason throughout the regular season with increased minutes due to LeBron’s injury. In that case, the sky is the limit for the former Vanderbilt Commodore to shine and help the Lakers conquer their 18th championship in the upcoming NBA season.
