LOS ANGELES — Jarred Vanderbilt played in just 19 games across his first two NBA seasons. It was just the nature of his role on the Denver Nuggets, a second-round draft pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, attempting to carve his way into a role-player position on a squad that achieved back-to-back second-place finishes in the Western Conference.

Since the Nuggets didn’t have their own G-League team at the time, Vanderbilt learned what life on the road was like. He suited up for the  Delaware Blue Coats, Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Windy City Bulls as an assignment player, parachuting into locker rooms in hopes of continuing his development cycle en route to a consistent NBA playing time.

“It’s definitely tough,” said Vanderbilt, now 26 years old and in his fourth season on the Lakers. “Sometimes it’s hard to see the bigger picture right then and there – I did the G-League for three years, up and down, been traded as well. It’s all a part of the process. Sometimes you got to go through that – especially not being a high first-round pick or lottery pick – being able to grind from the bottom and really put in the work and make it up here.”

Vanderbilt eventually did make the jump to a consistent role when Denver flipped him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2020, the first of three trades that ended with the versatile 6-foot-8 forward landing with the Lakers in 2023.

Adou Thiero, the Lakers’ second-round selection in the 2025 NBA draft, is currently learning how to navigate the up-and-down nature of playing for both the Lakers and the South Bay Lakers in the G-League. Assigned alongside guard Bronny James, Thiero has recorded two double-digit scoring games across three games since Feb. 20 for South Bay.

Against the Texas Legends on Feb. 20, the Arkansas alumnus tallied 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting to go with seven rebounds. A handful of days later, Thiero recorded 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, matching his rebound total with seven.

Vanderbilt’s noticed the strides the 21-year-old rookie, who has played in 17 NBA games this season, showcasing his, at times, high-flying nature on the floor, has taken to better his game.

“I think he’s done a good job staying with it, the process him going up and down,” Vanderbilt said of Thiero. “He’s been embracing the process, learning from it, and being able to showcase his strengths, while also being willing to develop his stuff he’s not so good at right now, so, yeah, he’s made great progress over the year.”

Thiero, recalled alongside James from South Bay on Sunday afternoon, said that while he’s expected to make plays in transition with the Lakers and in the G-League, the defensive focus remains on both ends. Thiero added that with South Bay, he’s been able to score a little bit more.

“I’m just going out there, keep getting comfortable with the game, the pace, just trying to work on things that I need to develop and be better at,” Thiero said.

“Just trying to get 1% better every day, just keeping that mindset and just knowing that, … there’s a bigger picture. So just making sure I’m ready for that day, when that day comes.”

Forward Rui Hachimura is set to play after missing the previous two games with an illness. Lakers Coach JJ Redick said that Hachimura will not be on a minutes restriction.

Despite being listed as questionable with left-foot arthritis on Sunday afternoon, the Lakers upgraded LeBron James to available against the Sacramento Kings. James, for the sixth consecutive game, will start alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton.