NBA: Jarred Vanderbilt signs 4-year extension with Lakers

FILE – Jarred Vanderbilt #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets in game two of the Western Conference Finals at Ball Arena on May 18, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract extension with forward Jarred Vanderbilt, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Lakers haven’t announced the long-term deal with their defensive specialist. The contract includes a player option in the fourth year.

The Lakers acquired Vanderbilt from Utah in February, and he quickly became a key rotation player during their impressive late-season run to the Western Conference finals.

While not a major offensive contributor, Vanderbilt averaged 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in the regular season while frequently being asked to guard the opponents’ top scorer. Vanderbilt started 24 regular-season games and started 13 of the Lakers’ 15 playoff games.

After Orlando drafted Vanderbilt in the second round in 2018, he began his NBA career in Denver. He joined Minnesota for 140 games over parts of three seasons before the Jazz acquired him last summer.

The Lakers went 18-8 and then won two playoff rounds after dramatically improving their roster at the trade deadline, and general manager Rob Pelinka has spent the summer improving or locking down the core of last season’s team around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Los Angeles has agreed to contract extensions with Vanderbilt, Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura while acquiring Jaxson Hayes, Taurean Prince, Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish and Christian Wood.