When this season started, the Los Angeles Lakers looked like a very incomplete team, roster-wise.
They had added a couple of decent pieces, but they were still thin at certain positions, especially in the frontcourt, where they lacked bench players they could depend on to keep things afloat when LeBron James and/or Anthony Davis weren’t on the court.
In February, the team acquired forward Jarred Vanderbilt in the big trade that sent out Russell Westbrook, and he became the defensive stopper they lacked. He took to guarding standout players at different positions, and he succeeded more than many expected him to.
The Lakers have reportedly decided to exercise the team option on his contract, which will allow him to remain on the team next season.
With Vanderbilt on board, the Lakers finished the regular season on a roll and ended up reaching the Western Conference Finals. However, he saw his playing time fall in the playoffs due to his lack of an offensive game, and he will have to add a decent 3-point shot in order to stay on the court more often from here on out.
Story originally appeared on LeBron Wire