The Los Angeles Lakers are trending toward a clean bill of health following the All-Star break. That is a good thing! Last time this happened, JJ Redick phased Jarred Vanderbilt out of the rotation. That would be a very bad thing to repeat.
When LeBron James made his season debut on Nov. 18, someone had to make room for him on the court. That player turned out to be Vanderbilt. Redick immediately shunned his two-way forward, handing the high-motor man a DNP. That trend continued.
Vanderbilt was left on the bench entirely in eight of the nine next contests. At first, it did not really seem like a major problem since the Lakers were winning. However, once the results started to grow uneven, it was clear Vando's defensive energy were sorely being missed on the court.
The Lakers forward confidently found himself back in the rotation on Dec. 14. Vanderbilt play double-digit minutes in the matchup against the Phoenix Suns and has continued doing so in every Lakers game since. Redick would be wise to continue that pattern and not waver with the extra optionality that is soon to be at his disposal.
JJ Redick must keep Jarred Vanderbilt in the Lakers rotation
Since his return to action on Dec. 14, Vanderbilt has averaged 5.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 steal in 20.2 minutes per game for the Lakers. During that stretch, Vando has shot 48.9 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The counting stats will not scream irreplaceable. However, watching the hustle, effort, and energy on display during Vanderbilt's minutes would.
Jarred Vanderbilt has been the 4th most impactful Wing Stopper this season
— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) February 16, 2026
Some highlights from his Player Profile:
🔒 #1 ranked Defensive Positional Versatility, with him guarding PG/SG/SF/PF/C each 18.54%-22.81% of the time
🔒 A- Matchup Difficulty, showing he takes on hard… pic.twitter.com/8qsTrnbbeD
Not only is Vando one of the most reliable defensive presences on the Lakers, but the 26-year-old is also bringing that to the glass. Anything that can be vaguely qualified as an effort area of the game can also typically be identified as something the former second-round pick excels at.
That is a generous statement to some degree. However, it does paint the picture regarding the type of much-needed presence that Vanderbilt provides.
Following the trade deadline, Redick has at least 10 guys capable of regularly seeing minutes for the Lakers. The second-year coach has often favored a nine-man rotation. The answer to satisfying that philosophy should not be to firmly plant Vanderbilt on the bench again.
At his best, Vanderbilt has shown he can be a complementary role player for a team that goes deeper into the NBA Playoffs. The Lakers would be doing themselves a disservice by not giving him a chance to get back to that form down the stretch of this campaign.