When the Los Angeles Lakers are on the clock for the 25th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the easiest thing they could in that moment would be to just find someone who can come in and give them production for a win-now core from day one. There is plenty of room for added creativity, though.
The possibility of Rob Pelinka trading the pick should not be ruled out in the slightest. That does not just mean leveraging it to bring in one of the available players on the market. The Lakers general manager can also enjoy addition by subtraction by using the pick to get rid of Jarred Vanderbilt.
Without factoring in finances, Vanderbilt is a perfectly acceptable player to employ at the end of the bench. The Lakers forward can be called upon when the guys in front of him are hurt or otherwise unavailable. When recalling that Vando is earning around $25.7 million over the next two years, that is too much to pay for those contributions.
The Lakers could use all the money they can get this summer to lure free agents to Los Angeles. Vanderbilt's contract stands out as a negative in pursuit of those goals. In search of a way out, Los Angeles should have it here.
Lakers should have the perfect trade back opportunity to dump Jarred Vanderbilt
The ridiculous amount of depth in the 2026 NBA Draft should allow the Lakers to move back a few spots in the process and still be in position to draft someone who can make an impact in the 2026-27 season. There should be two opportunities that immediately stand out in relation to that thought.
At 33rd overall, the Brooklyn Nets will be on the clock. The Nets have the cap space to absorb a bad contract like Vanderbilt's, and the Lakers would be dropping less than 10 picks in the process if they acquire the early second-round selection.
Sticking in that range could potentially leave guys like Zuby Ejiofor and Baba Miller still on the board for them. Adding an impact player of that kind and getting rid of Vando's cap hit in the process would be a massive win for the Lakers.
Pelinka has a history of doing business with the Nets, too. That established rapport should help here.
If not the Nets, the Chicago Bulls and pick 38 stand out as another opportunity to make a move of this nature. This one, admittedly, is not as attractive by comparison.
The appeal of the Nets at 33 is that it still gives clear access to someone who the Lakers could have a first-round grade on, but just happened to drop a few spots. That can still be the case at 38, but it is not as clear cut.
Even with that in mind, if the Lakers really wanted to get rid of the Vando contract, the Bulls should have the cap space and willingness to do so as well, given their rebuild only truly just started. Los Angeles would get the extra bit of breathing room and could still get their hands on a solid prospect.
Vanderbilt is owed around $12.4 million in 2026-27. If the Lakers want to add that money to their available offseason funds, either the Nets or Bulls should be able to help them out with that.
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