For much of the 2022-23 season, the Los Angeles Lakers roster was crying out for a game-changing defensive presence. And in February, they finally got their man, acquiring Jarred Vanderbilt (along with D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley) for Russell Westbrook's huge expiring contract.

Beyond Vanderbilt's defensive versatility and presence on the glass, what made the 6'9 forward so valuable despite his limited offensive game was his team-friendly contract. Vanderbilt has a team option worth $4.7 million for the 2023-24 season, making it almost a no-brainer for the Lakers to keep him in town.

And it appears that's exactly what the Lakers will be doing. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers will be picking up Jarred Vanderbilt's option for next season. Doing so will give the Lakers another surefire rotation piece for cheap, which will be of utmost importance given Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves' impending huge contracts. By September 7, Vanderbilt will be eligible for a four-year contract extension worth up to $71 million.

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Vanderbilt ended up starting 37 games for the Lakers (including 13 in the playoffs) following his midseason trade from the Utah Jazz, averaging 6.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 41 total games donning the Purple and Gold. While those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, it's his ability to take on every defensive matchup that made him such an invaluable factor in spurring the Lakers' late-season turnaround.

The next step for Jarred Vanderbilt's development will be his ability to hone his three-point shot. At the moment, teams can sag off the 24-year old forward, making scoring difficult for the Lakers. If he manages to become a more dangerous scoring threat, he should become a more dangerous weapon for Darvin Ham to put alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.