Jarred Vanderbilt
Jarred Vanderbilt made an astronomical difference in helping the Lakers get to the playoffs. Ever since being acquired from the Utah Jazz, his impact was a huge reason LA turned around its team defense. Even in the playoffs, he did a great job limiting guys like Ja Morant and Steph Curry, which ultimately helped the Lakers get to the Western Conference Finals.
Although sometimes Vando can be frozen out of games due to his offense, he’s still the kind of guy that every championship team needs.
Lonnie Walker
Lonnie Walker will be remembered by his fourth quarter in Game 4 vs. Golden State, but he actually has had a great collective season. Walker is a super young wing that has bags of scoring ability. This year he started shooting the 3-ball much better and his defense also became a huge asset.
Walker is a player that has major upside but is still someone that’s a safe option. Whether it’s off the bench as a 6th man, or in a starting wing role, Lonnie Walker is someone that must be in the Lakers’ future plans. He’s an unrestricted free agent and the Lakers may have to fight off other suitors to bring him back.