Jarred Vanderbilt may have just ruined his chance with the Lakers in shocking fashion

The Los Angeles Lakers were dominated by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, and Jarred Vanderbilt may have eliminated himself from the rotation again. LA was down four starters and will be without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for the first round of the playoffs. Minutes were available, but Vando compounded an on-court mistake by getting into an argument with head coach JJ Redick in the second quarter and never returned.

The 6’8 forward has been in and out of the rotation this season. The injuries have opened minutes. This was his third straight appearance and seventh in the last eight. His defense was needed with the two stars out, but Vanderbilt may have ruined his shot.

He played five minutes against the Thunder before being benched. The screaming match with coach Redick made things worse. He had to be held back by Austin Reaves and never returned. The Thunder dominated, but there were plenty of opportunities available. Sadly, Vanderbilt ruined his chance.

Jarred Vanderbilt ruined his shot after arguing with JJ Redick

Redick had to call a timeout just 16 seconds into the second quarter. He was clearly upset with Vanderbilt, and the tensions quickly boiled over. Fans can see part of the altercation below.

That was the end of Vando’s night. He had made a 3-pointer to go with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal in five minutes. The 6’8 forward did miss all three of his free throws. Fans know he struggles to make shots, and his basketball IQ can be problematic. Still, there were positive signs before his benching.

The Lakers need healthy bodies capable of making a playoff impact. His defense could be necessary, but Redick may not want to play him after Tuesday night. Fans know the head coach is a fierce competitor, and fans have seen him get into arguments with multiple players. This one put Vanderbilt on the bench for the rest of the game.

The Lakers have options at forward. LeBron James will be back on Thursday night against the Warriors. Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Jake LaRavia, and Drew Timme were all ahead of Vando in the pecking order against the Thunder. Coach Redick can’t play everyone. It feels like Vanderbilt eliminated himself from the rotation again.

Things just keep getting worse for LA. Luka Doncic is unlikely to play in the first round of the playoffs. He is doing everything possible to get back, but hamstring injuries take time to heal. Austin Reaves is out at least a month with an oblique injury. The Lakers are fading in the standings and had four starters out versus the Thunder. Now, the coach and players are arguing on the bench.

Jarred Vanderbilt may have just ruined his latest shot with the Los Angeles Lakers. He never returned after arguing with JJ Redick on Tuesday night. It is never wise for a fringe rotation player to spar with the head coach. Redick went in a different direction after this incident and may keep doing so moving forward. Vando has nobody to blame but himself for this one.