The Los Angeles Lakers will start the training camp with another one of their young players under long-term contract. According to reports, Lakers and forward Jarred Vanderbilt agreed to a four-year extension.
The agreement is still to be announced by the Lakers, but Vanderbilt’s agency, Klutch Sports, already confirmed the news to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The 24-year-old defensive standout will get $48 million fully guaranteed as part of the extension. The fourth year is reportedly a player option.
Vanderbilt landed with the Lakers ahead of last season’s trade deadline in a deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz. The Kentucky product was almost immediately trusted with a place in the starting five and never looked back.
Vanderbilt emerged as one of the Lakers’ best defensive players and would often take the responsibility to guard the opponents’ most lethal offensive threat. The former second-round pick averaged 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals since coming to LA. He had a smaller role during the team’s playoff run but still ended up starting 13 games in the postseason.
Besides Vanderbilt, the Lakers also locked in four of their other players to new deals. Superstar Anthony Davis received a new max deal, guard D’Angelo Russell re-signed with the team after his contract expired, while Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura got extensions.
