Though the interest in Washington is understandable, the Lakers have a clear reason to ignore the hype: Jarred Vanderbilt and the contract they continue to struggle to move. For those who can't access the video at this time, Buha said the following:"I believe, if the Lakers add P.J. That ultimately consumes precious cap space for a Lakers team that's already paying significant money across four seasons to four different players. Lakers can't afford to take on another four-year dealEarlier this summer, Los Angeles re-signed Austin Reaves to a four-year, $180 million contract. Washington is an exciting player who may very well be the missing piece for the Lakers, but as Vanderbilt has shown, moving an unfriendly four-year contract is a tall task.