The Los Angeles Lakers did not kick off their offseason by prioritizing signing a star; they decided to go with a young player who is still developing, in Jake LaRavia. If they are lucky, they may have added someone who brings something they were missing last season.
LaRavia can be a defender who can handle multiple assignments, stay locked in on the perimeter, and quietly fill a role most don’t want.
Lakers are hoping Jake LaRavia can do the dirty work
LaRavia’s numbers will not jump off the page. He is not the most flashy player. What he does offer is exactly what the Lakers could use more of, which is effort, awareness, and defensive versatility.
Brian Windhorst recently described him as a player who “can defend multiple positions… and will pick up full court.” That kind of motor and mentality matters. Especially for a team that struggled to contain quicker guards at times.
Windhorst went on to say, “You can’t play him on every point guard… but he has some defensive versatility, which they were sorely lacking last year.”
He is right. The Lakers had size, experience, and star power. But when it came to defending the ball at the point of attack, they did not have many answers on the squad.
LaRavia right now might not be considered a lockdown defender, but he understands spacing and angles. He is quick enough laterally to stay in front, and at 6 feet 8 inches, he has the length to bother both guards and wings. His 1.7 steals per 36 minutes last season reflect his instincts and his ability to disrupt without overcommitting.
With Dorian Finney-Smith gone to the Houston Rockets, there is an opening for someone to step in and absorb some of those tough matchups. LaRavia will not be handed those minutes; he will have to earn them.
The blueprint is clear. Play smart. Defend hard. Communicate. Make the most of your opportunities.
What makes LaRavia such an interesting piece is not that he is great at one thing; it is that he is capable of doing several things pretty well. For a team looking to balance its rotation and build a more well-rounded bench, that kind of profile is valuable.
If LaRavia can stay locked in on defense and make smart plays in limited minutes, he could end up being more than just a depth signing. He could quietly become the kind of role player every playoff team needs.