The Los Angeles Lakers had a busy offseason, surrounding LeBron James and Luka Doncic with players who fit their playing style. One of the free agents the Lakers signed this summer was Jake LaRavia, who will be entering his fourth season in the NBA.
According to Michael Shearer of HoopsHype, LaRavia could be one of seven breakout candidates next season. The 23-year-old forward joined other young players such as Brandon Miller, Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin, among others.
Shearer liked LaRavia’s fit with James and Doncic, who have a history of making players better offensively. However, he cautioned the Wake Forest product to adjust his game defensively and increase his 3-point shot volume in his first season in Los Angeles.
“LaRavia will have to adjust his game some. He’ll need to step up defensively and be more willing to launch catch-and-shoot threes. If he does, he could become the next in a long line of role players who have career years playing next to James and Doncic,” Shearer wrote on September 5.
The 6-foot-8 forward signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Lakers. He spent his first two and a half seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies before getting shipped to the Sacramento Kings.
It was part of the three-team deal with the Washington Wizards at the February trade deadline. He has career averages of 6.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.1% from threes.
Los Angeles Lakers Signed Jake LaRavia To Replace Dorian Finney-Smith
The Los Angeles Lakers failed to bring back Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency after he signed with the Houston Rockets. Michael Shearer thought that Jake LaRavia was brought in to replace Finney-Smith’s minutes and production. He might not be a better defender, but he’s a better passer and likes to move without the ball.
“LaRavia shot 42 percent from deep last season and posted career-best passing, rebounding, and defensive numbers on a per-possession basis. LaRavia should provide more ball-handling and secondary playmaking potential than the man he’s replacing, Dorian Finney-Smith. He’s usually a hiding spot for an opponent’s worst defender, but LaRavia is 6-foot-8. He’s capable of bullying if he has a size mismatch, and he’s a crafty off-ball mover,” Shearer wrote.
Dalton Knecht was the backup small forward last season. Knecht had a solid rookie campaign, but he fell off coach JJ Redick’s rotation starting from mid-March until the end of the regular season.
Los Angeles Lakers made an important decision this offseason
After LeBron James opted into his $52.6 million player option toward the end of June, the Los Angeles Lakers cemented their future. The Lakers signed Luka Doncic to a three-year, $165 million contract extension.
Doncic wanted an athletic center since joining the purple and gold franchise in February, and the Lakers finally got one by signing Deandre Ayton in free agency. They also added key role players who fit in with James and Doncic like Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart.
There were trade rumors surrounding James this offseason, but Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul quickly squashed the speculations on The Tylil Show at the end of July by pointing to his client’s no-trade clause.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lakers Newcomer Predicted to Shine Alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James appeared first on Heavy Sports.