As training camp and the 2026-27 NBA season slowly approach, it is time to start taking a look at what each member of the Los Angeles Lakers should be working on this summer and how each of them can help the team be as successful as it can be.
Therefore, LeBron Wire is outlining three goals for each Lakers player this coming season. For Jarred Vanderbilt, his weaknesses and limitations are clear, and thus at least one of his goals is obvious.
3-pointers, 3-pointers and more 3-pointers
Hopefully Vanderbilt kept himself cooped up in the gym all summer long and shot hundreds of 3-pointers while making sure his form and mechanics are sound.
In his eight NBA seasons, he has shot just 29% from 3-point range, and he hasn't shown any measurable improvement in that category. As a result, he has been
rendered unplayable at times, especially in the playoffs.
If Vanderbilt simply shoots in the mid-30s from beyond the arc, he could greatly improve his value to the team, especially since he's such a versatile and effective defender who can also grab rebounds in bunches.
Play with more consistent energy
Vanderbilt is often a very energetic player who picks opponents up defensively in the backcourt and crashes the boards. But there are games where he seems practically invisible.
One of the Lakers' weaknesses in recent seasons has been rebounding. They were 12th in defensive rebounding percentage last season, which wasn't terrible, but they were 24th in offensive rebounding percentage and 28th in second-chance points.
Vanderbilt can definitely give L.A. a lift on the boards if he limits the number of games in which he has only one or two rebounds despite getting double-digit minutes.
Stay healthy
Vanderbilt started the 2023-24 season on the injured list with heel bursitis, which forced him to miss the first 20 games of the schedule. After he returned, he was just starting to hit his stride when he suffered a severe midfoot sprain on Feb. 1, 2024, which kept him out until midway through the following season.
Obviously, the best ability is availability. Vanderbilt was able to stay healthy enough last season and appear in 65 regular-season contests, and he needs to stay healthy enough through all of this season if he is going to regain his place in the Lakers' regular rotation.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers player goals for 2026-27 season: Jarred Vanderbilt
