According to NBA insider Anthony Irwin of Lakers Daily, the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make any trades at the trade deadline due to the season being “beyond salvation” after Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a serious right foot injury on February 1 against the Boston Celtics.
One of the top defenders in the NBA, Vanderbilt is not expected to play again this season.
“While the Lakers would love to get Vanderbilt back and desperately need his energy, perimeter defense and physicality on the boards, they have operated as if they aren’t going to get him back,” Irwin wrote. “Some within the organization have even explained that the Lakers’ inactivity at the deadline was due in part to thinking this season was beyond salvation after his injury — which they considered season-ending at the time.”
The Lakers were linked to multiple players in trade talks, most notably Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, Toronto Raptors guard Bruce Brown and Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith.
Vanderbilt has played in only 29 games this season. He averaged 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.2 blocks while shooting 51.8% from the field and 66.7% from the free-throw line and had a plus-minus of +44.
The Lakers are 37-32 on the season. They are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The team is ninth in the NBA in points per game and 23rd in points per game allowed.
Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka only made one move this season, signing Spencer Dinwiddie on the buyout market.
Even though LeBron James and Anthony Davis are putting up All-NBA numbers, the Lakers haven’t looked like title contenders this season.
LeBron has a player option worth $51.4 million for next season with the Lakers. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2024-25 player option.
More must-reads: