The Los Angeles Lakers are actively searching for win-now trades around the NBA to help boost the 25-18 franchise further up the standings and into contention.

The team is still a few moves away from being able to hang with the best squads in the NBA. As a result, young players like Jarred Vanderbilt could be available for the right price.

The 25-year-old forward recently returned to full-time action after nearly two seasons of injury troubles. As a result, the forward doesn’t have an attractive trade market according to Jovan Buha on his podcast, with the Lakers potentially needing to add draft compensation to move him.

“If Vando is in a deal, the Lakers are going to have to attach a first. That’s separate of whatever the other player is worth. … There’s still a perception of Vando of what he is in the playoffs, the contract, and the injury history. So as I say, two things can be true at once.”

“I think for the Lakers, and what they need, he has a lot of value. And that’s a tough contract, I think, to trade. But from a league-wide perspective, I don’t think teams are gnawing at themselves to try to get Vanderbilt. He’s probably a guy the Lakers need to ride out at least the rest of the season and then explore in the offseason, depending on how things go.”

This likely indicates the Lakers are stuck with Vanderbilt. There’s no reason for the Lakers to add draft compensation to dump a contract that averages around $11 million per season.

Given the team has had defensive struggles, they’re better off keeping Vanderbilt in their rotation as a specialist. He’s also arguably the best ‘big-man’ option they have outside Anthony Davis.

Vanderbilt recently returned to the court in the Lakers 118-108 win over the Golden State Warriors. He put up two points (1-2 FG), four rebounds, and three steals, showing how he can reinforce the Lakers’ defense both on the perimeter and the post.

The Lakers have already made a win-now move for Dorian Finney-Smith, although it’s not paying off offensively just yet, Finney-Smith has also shone defensively.

Vanderbilt and Finney-Smith looked great on the court together as a defensive tandem, especially alongside other plus defenders such as Max Christie and Davis.

Vanderbilt is too valuable to what the Lakers want on the court to be moved to facilitate a deal for a minor upgrade. Given how stingy the Lakers have been with making draft assets available for win-now trades, there’s a slim chance they’ll use a pick just to dump Vanderbilt.

We can’t say for sure that Vanderbilt is safe, as he might be included in a larger package to facilitate the acquisition of a star.

But the Lakers don’t seem to be scouring the market that aggressively. Both Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent will likely be trade candidates before Vanderbilt.