Ex. Denver Nuggets wing gets big pay day from Lakers

Friday marked a lucrative day for former Denver Nuggets forward Jarred Vanderbilt. According to multiple reports, Vanderbilt inked a four-year, $48 million contract extension to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 24-year-old’s new deal will include a player option in the final year, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Vanderbilt spent a season and a half in Denver, playing in just 26 total games for the Nuggets.

In his short tenure in the Mile-High City, the former Kentucky standout averaged 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in about 4.2 minutes each time.

On February 5, 2020, Vanderbilt was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a four-team trade that landed the Nuggets Gerald Green, Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh, and a 2020 first-round pick.

Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers hope to dethrone the Denver Nuggets

In his new home, the former Nuggets wing is working to dethrone the reigning NBA champions. He and the Lakers fell to Denver in the Western Conference Finals last year, losing in just four games.

However, Los Angeles went out and revamped their roster in hopes of giving the Nuggets a bit more trouble this time.

Vanderbilt has found himself a nice role with the Lakers since being traded there at the deadline last season. He’s averaged about 24 minutes in each appearance, tallying 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. There’s a chance he’ll become an extremely effective tool for L.A., if he’s able to find more of a consistent three-point shot.

Last year with the Lakers, Vanderbilt converted on just 30.3% of his attempts from long range. His defense was enough to keep him on the court in a consistent role, but in the postseason opposing teams took advantage of his unreliable shot.