Lakers' Coach JJ Redick Highlights Jarred Vanderbilt as Bright Spot After Preseason Losses

The Los Angeles Lakers faced challenges in their 2025 preseason games, including a 111-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors and a 103-81 defeat by the Phoenix Suns, with key players like LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart, and Gabe Vincent sidelined due to injuries. Despite these setbacks, head coach JJ Redick highlighted Jarred Vanderbilt as a significant bright spot, praising his defensive physicality, energy, and offseason improvements, especially his conditioning and efforts to develop a reliable three-point shot. Vanderbilt's health and defensive impact are seen as crucial to raising the Lakers' overall team floor, with Redick expecting him to become an elite offensive rebounder and a consistent contributor on the perimeter. Redick emphasized the need for consistency and earning lineup spots through performance, noting Vanderbilt's potential to unlock better team spacing if his shooting continues to improve. The Lakers are hopeful Vanderbilt's return to form and expanded role will help address their defensive struggles from previous seasons and provide more stability as they approach the regular season. While offensive progress for Vanderbilt was limited in these games, his defensive presence and energy have given the coaching staff optimism about his impact moving forward.