JJ Redick’s first season as head coach hasn’t even started, but the ripples are already shaking up the Lakers’ roster. And no, we’re not talking about Bronny or JJ’s podcast takes. This one’s about the core identity LA wanted to build around. Remember how everyone kept hearing the Lakers were prioritizing size and defense this offseason? That’s what made the Jarred Vanderbilt angle so predictable. He was supposed to be the guy to bring back that gritty wing-stop vibe from the bubble run. Big, switchy, willing to guard up or down the lineup. Only… it looks like that plan just changed. Fast.

Last season, the Lakers were starving for on-ball defense. Everyone from D’Lo to Reaves to Rui had their moments, but none were consistent game-wreckers on that end. Darvin Ham gave Vanderbilt 36 regular-season games, but he cleared the 20-minute mark in just six of them. And when the lights got bright in the playoffs? He never touched 20 minutes. The front office doubled down on him anyway, handing him an $11.57 million contract for next season. But despite the investment, the minutes never matched. Now, as JJ Redick reshapes this team in his image, one thing is clear: the defense might still be a priority, but Vando’s place in it? Not so much.

Jovan Buha took to YouTube and made a post, which revealed the Lakers’ pivot from Vanderbilt to Marcus Smart- the $25.6M star- and it wasn’t subtle. “I’m optimistic about the Smart fit, just because the Lakers don’t have another player who can do what he can do on the defensive side of the ball.” Buha even went so far as to say “Smart is going to be their most impactful defender… barring a trade,” citing JJ’s clear intention to give the former Defensive Player of the Year around 24 to 30 minutes a night. That’s double Vanderbilt’s load. “I think JJ views him more as a 12 to 18 minute a night guy,” Buha added, which, if true, puts Vanderbilt’s role- and his future in LA, squarely in jeopardy.

And the numbers tell the same story. While Smart comes in on a bi-annual exception at just over $5 million, his value per minute is expected to far exceed that of Vanderbilt. Buha outlined how Vando played 20+ minutes only six times last season and logged zero playoff impact, while Smart is projected to hit that mark regularly, as a starter or high-minute sixth man. This isn’t just about talent either. Redick’s system seems tailored more to Smart’s style: vocal, switchable, and able to anchor defensive schemes with constant communication. “There is a ceiling to Vanderbilt’s role in JJ Redick’s system and rotation,” Buha noted. With Smart, the ceiling seems a whole lot higher and sturdier.

For Vanderbilt, it’s a brutal mix of bad timing and a new coach’s preference. He got paid with one coach, then got replaced with another guy’s favorite blueprint. That’s the business. The Lakers are still shaping who they want to be, but it’s getting harder to see a version where Vanderbilt plays a central role. Unless there’s a surprise trade or a wild camp surge, he might be the most expensive bench presence on the team next season.

LeBron’s final run: Lakers’ clock is ticking

LeBron James opted into his $52.6 million player option for 2025–26, locking in one more year of the King in purple and gold. But as Marc Stein reported, the Lakers don’t see this as a long-term reunion. The team’s “widely presumed preferred scenario” is to let LeBron’s contract drop off the books next summer. Not trade. Not restructure. Just expiration. And that plan? It speaks volumes about what’s coming next in LA.

The reason behind that thinking isn’t subtle either. Luka Doncic looms large as the next superstar target for the Lakers,  and cap space will be everything. Once LeBron’s monster contract clears in 2026, LA can pivot to a younger, longer-term roster build centered around pieces like Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and maybe even a rejuvenated Marcus Smart. It’s not about disrespecting LeBron’s legacy. It’s about setting the stage for the next era while the door’s still cracked open.

So in a way, JJ Redick’s reshuffling of minutes now, like prioritizing Smart over Vanderbilt, might already be laying the foundation for what comes post-LeBron. Leadership, toughness, and elite defensive IQ won’t just help in 2025. It’s the kind of culture Redick and the front office want to carry forward, long after that $52.6 million cap hit is gone. The future’s knocking.. and the Lakers are quietly rearranging the roster to answer it.