Jarred Vanderbilt is making things complicated for J.J. Redick in the best way possible. Two preseason games in, and Vanderbilt looks like he is quietly overtaking Rui Hachimura for key minutes in the Los Angeles Lakers rotation.
His defense has been elite, his energy contagious, and suddenly, he has been playing like the missing piece Los Angeles did not know it still had. Last year, Vanderbilt barely made an impact. Injuries limited him to just 36 games, and when he did play, he never looked right.
Now, healthy and confident, he is changing the tone of every lineup he is in.