Home Basketball Jarrett Vanderbilt, a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, has signed a new four-year, $48 million contract

Jarrett Vanderbilt, a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, has signed a new four-year, $48 million contract

Basketball — 09/16/2023

Despite acquiring Vanderbilt from Utah in February, the Lakers have yet to announce a long-term contract for him. In the fourth year of the deal, the player has the opportunity to opt out.

During their remarkable late-season run to the Western Conference finals last year, he immediately became a crucial rotation member.

While Vanderbilt was not a huge оffensive contributor this season, he did average 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while being forced to routinely guard opposing teams’ leading scorers. Vanderbilt started for the Lakers in 13 of their 15 playoff games and 24 regular season games.

Vanderbilt started his NBA career in Denver after being picked by Orlando in the second round in 2018. Before being traded to Utah last summer, he played in 140 games for Minnesota over the course of three seasons.General manager Rоb Pelinka spent the offseason either strengthening or securing the nucleus of last year’s squad around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Lakers finished 18-8 and won two rounds in the playoffs as a result.

Vanderbilt, Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura have all signed contract extensions with the Lakers, while the team has also acquired Jaxson Hayes, Taurean Prince, Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, and Christian Wood.

Lakers F Jarred Vanderbilt gets 4-year, $48M extension

On Friday, his attorneys verified that the Los Angeles Lakers and forward Jarred Vanderbilt had agreed to a four-year, $48 million agreement.

Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports, and Erika Ruiz, a representative for the company, have told several media sources that the contract is completely guaranteed and includes a player option in the fourth year.

After the 2023–24 season, Vanderbilt, then 24 years old, was scheduled to become a free agent.

After being acquired from the Utah Jazz on February 9, he played in 26 games (24 starts) with the Lakers, averaging 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals.

Vanderbilt, drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the second round in 2018, has played in 244 games (162 starts) with the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 6.2 points and 6.6 rebounds.