Lakers Should Increase Veteran Backup\u2019s Playing Time After All-Star Break<\/p>\n
Heading into the All-Star break and following the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a strong position. The team is finally at full health, and Luka Doncic is regaining his form, just in time for the Lakers to make a push before the playoffs.<\/p>\n
However, JJ Redick will need time to adjust. Implementing a significant change, such as swapping Anthony Davis for Doncic mid-season, is challenging, especially with limited practice time. The situation became even more complicated when the Lakers had to cancel the Mark Williams trade with the Hornets.<\/p>\n
The frontcourt rotation remains a concern. With Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len as the only traditional centers, their effectiveness in the playoffs remains uncertain.<\/p>\n
As a result, Redick will likely rely heavily on small-ball lineups. It\u2019s essential for the Lakers to refine these units ahead of the postseason, with one particular player playing a vital role.<\/p>\n
Jarred Vanderbilt Should Log Maximum Minutes After the All-Star Break<\/p>\n
Jarred Vanderbilt, who has already played nine games since returning from injury, is set to be critical to the Lakers\u2019 success.<\/p>\n
The Lakers currently lack defensive flexibility, and Vanderbilt stands out as their most versatile defender, capable of guarding various positions and adapting to different defensive schemes. His size, length, and athleticism are rare assets on the roster.<\/p>\n
Although Vanderbilt is a liability offensively, playing alongside Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic should help mask his shortcomings. His inability to shoot or score is less of an issue when he plays center, and his defensive ability allows Redick to implement a switch-heavy defense, potentially improving the team\u2019s defensive performance.<\/p>\n
Since his return, Vanderbilt has averaged 16.6 minutes per game. As his workload increases, he should be on the floor for as many minutes as possible. Playing him over 20 minutes per game, while reducing the time for Hayes and Len, would likely benefit the Lakers in the final stretch of the regular season.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lakers Should Increase Veteran Backup\u2019s Playing Time After All-Star Break Heading into the All-Star break and following the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a strong position. The team is finally at full health, and Luka Doncic is regaining his form, just in time for the Lakers to make a push before […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25896,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2586],"tags":[256],"class_list":["post-25895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lakers","tag-la-lakers"],"yoast_head":"\n