As far as being a role player goes in the NBA, one of the most valuable archetypes one can fall into would be the 3-and-D mold. Jarred Vanderbilt has the second part of that down beyond any doubt. It is the shooting that needs to be added to his offensive arsenal.
Vanderbilt has never been anything close to a 3-point specialist. The Los Angeles Lakers forward has a career mark of 28.1 percent from beyond the arc. His best shooting season was 2022-23. It was the only time the 26-year-old eclipsed 30 percent in his pro days, knocking down 32.2 percent of his 1.2 attempts.
That volume is nothing to write home about. However, that is also not what is necessary of Vanderbilt. The Lakers will take stability over anything else. On top of being healthy, JJ Redick just needs him to not be a non-factor on the offensive end of the court.
A look at Jarred Vanderbilt’s improved shooting mechanics as he gets shots up with Jake LaRavia pic.twitter.com/OqhG4GbBS9
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 1, 2025
ESPN's Dave McMenamin shared a video from Lakers training camp that showcased the improved shooting mechanics of Vanderbilt. The footwork looked better. The overall motion looked more fluid. In short, it offered a lot of hope for what the veteran forward could bring in 2025-26.
Jarred Vanderbilt’s outside shot could reshape his Lakers role
It is difficult to justify a player getting a prominent role off the bench when the impact can only be felt on one end of the floor. Just ask Dalton Knecht about that one.
Vanderbilt suffers from the opposite problem. Knecht's impact is clear offensively, but his lackluster defense makes it tough to keep him out there for prolonged stretches. Vanderbilt brings reliable upside as a stopper, but has struggled mightily helping his team put up points.
2024-25 was a particularly tough season for him. Vanderbilt posted only 4.1 points per game in 36 appearances during the regular season for the Lakers. That was his lowest mark in any season where he has averaged at least 15 minutes off the bench.
Vanderbilt shot the second worst percentage of his career from the field, converting only 48.8 of his 3.4 attempts per game. Defenses were far too comfortable just forgetting about the Lakers forward and putting the attention on the much bigger offensive threats like Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and others.
No one is asking Vanderbilt to suddenly emerge with the capabilities of someone like Kyle Korver when it comes to his 3-point shooting. However, punishing defenders when left open on the perimeter would make it much easier for Redick to justify having him on the floor for two-way impact.
Vanderbilt has proven in the past how great his defense can be when healthy. Adding that scoring punch offensively would make it much not only boost his playing time, but feels as though the $11.5 million owed to him in 2025-26 is not a monstrosity of a contract.