The Los Angeles Lakers just signed Anthony Davis to a three-year contract extension that made NBA history. With an average annual salary of $62 million, Davis broke the record for the largest average salary on an extension in the sport.
With the salary cap predicted to grow leaps and bounds over the next five years, superstars making over $60 million are going to be more common. Right now it seems like a monstrous outlier but it is only a matter of time until it is the status quo.
With stars making so much money and harsher penalties for being above the luxury tax on the new CBA, being able to have bargains on the roster is so important for team-building. And luckily for the Lakers, they have three bargains, in particular, who feel like they are underpaid.
The 3 most underpaid Los Angeles Lakers for the 2023-24 season:
1. Jarred Vanderbilt — $4.698 million
Jarred Vanderbilt seemed like he was just a throwaway piece in the Russell Westbrook trade from the 2023 trade deadline that was included just to make the money work. It made absolutely no sense as Vando came to the Lakers and instantly made his presence felt with his defensive tenacity.
Does Vanderbilt have holes on the offensive side of the floor? Absolutely, and that is ultimately why his role was reduced in the playoffs. But his ability to defend any position on the court is extremely valuable, especially in the regular season as the team is looking to just get to the NBA Playoffs with good health.
The sky is the limit for Vanderbilt if the Lakers can tap into his offensive potential and develop him like other great Laker defenders in the past (Alex Caruso). Even if the team cannot do that, Vanderbilt is worth way more than the $4.698 million that he is making in 2023-24.