Redick wants to start him! Van Der Biao may be the biggest surprise for the Lakers. Dong Zhan really needs him if he wants to compete for the championship.

Overnight, Heizi collectively broke through the defense. They thought they would be waiting for news about James' retirement, but unexpectedly it was just a drink advertisement. In fact, this result is not surprising. As everyone in the Lakers said, they have long known that James will not announce his retirement in this way. Redick's words were even more direct. In the interview, he said: "You are all idiots. We all know that it is just an advertisement. No one finds it strange." In fact, when James announced the decision to release the notice, there were follow-up media reports. What James wanted to say should be an advertisement, but some people chose not to see it, and they were crazy to enjoy the traffic of James' retirement. But now that the noise has passed, real Lakers fans are relieved. Since James has not chosen to retire, the next step is to look forward to the performance of the Lakers in the new season.

So far, the Lakers have played two preseason games and lost both games. Since James, Doncic and Smart did not play, the outcome of the preseason is not important. The key is whether the other Lakers players have shown positive enough in the game and whether they have met the expectations. In this period, to put it simply, Ayton's defense was somewhat surprising, but the offensive state was not quite right. Laravia's performance was quite satisfactory. It also depends on the effectiveness of his partnership with Dongzhan. The growth of Browne and Kneckert was not as expected, especially Kneckert. If he continues to play like this, even if he gets a first-round pick, he will not be able to get a player of the same level as Mawei.

Of course, in general, there is one person in the Lakers' preseason whose performance exceeded many people's expectations and was amazing, and that is forward Vanderbilt. Against the Suns, Vanderbilt played 21 minutes, 0 of 4, 0 of 3 three-pointers, 1 of 2 free throws, 1 point, 2 rebounds and 1 steal. Against the Warriors, Vanderbilt played 21 minutes, making 4 of 8 shots from the field, 1 of 3 three-pointers, and scored 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. If you only look at the data, Vanderbilt's performance seems to be average, but it should be noted that the value of a jack-of-all-trades player like him can never be reflected by data. His state on the court can show the meaning of his existence.

After two games, the biggest impression given by Vanderbilt is that he is healthier, has better athletic ability, is very aggressive on both ends of the offense and defense, and even has a certain ability to hold the ball. It is just a pity that the three-point ability that he has practiced for a summer has not been shown yet, and he needs to observe a few more games. But no matter what, Vanderbilt is now on the defensive end, and people can see the figure of the past on the court again. If he can maintain this state in the new season, then he will become one of the Lakers' most important defensive gates on the outside, which is of great significance to the Lakers. It is worth mentioning that Redick has praised Vanderbilt's performance in two consecutive games and even thinks he has hope of becoming a starter.

Redick said: "Guys earn playing time through hard work. I am very impressed with the effort that Vanderbilt has put into his game this summer. Obviously, his physical fitness is much better than this time last year, and even better than at the end of the season. He is moving better and is more stable on the ball. I have never seen him do a European step to slow down and finish. That is good, he has been working hard to improve his game. level, and shooting is crucial for him. If he can become a consistent three-point shooter for our team, it will bring us a lot of opportunities. I think Vanderbilt has a good chance of getting the starting job for the Lakers in the new season. "

Many Lakers reporters also said that Vanderbilt now looks healthier than in the past few years. Fans who have watched the Lakers' 2023 playoffs should know very well how strong a healthy Vanderbilt is. Since there are still three years left on the contract, if Vanderbilt remains unhealthy and in a sluggish state, it will be a very bad thing for the Lakers, but if he can return to his peak form, then a salary of more than 12 million a year will be worth it. Due to James' age and Doncic's defense, the Lakers really need Vanderbilt's defensive aggression, and he is also very clear about his role in the new season, and he must become the core of the Lakers' defense.

In the interview, Vanderbilt said: "I think we can definitely become the top defensive team in the league. We have a large size, excellent wingspan, and now we have many experienced veterans as leaders. So, the key is the team The players need to reach a consensus and be in sync. We have strong physical fitness and can fight physically. Yes, we should be more resilient and we should maintain a fighting spirit like a hound in every game. "So, how do you think Vanderbilt will perform in the new season?