The Los Angeles Lakers' third game of the preseason was a showcase of what both Adou Thiero and Jake LaRavia can provide on their better nights. In short, the pair each looked worthy of a rotation role. Who gets more regular minutes depends on what the Lakers care about most in 2026-27.
Jake LaRavia is the safer, more proven option for the Lakers
LaRavia is quickly showing that his struggles at the end of last season were more of a mental thing than a talent issue. The Lakers forward suggested as much at Media Day. Jake has shown a ton more confidence throughout three preseason games for Los Angeles.
Working on his jumper was a specific on-court fix that LaRavia claimed to have focused on during the summer. Those claims are now verifiable. There has been little to no hesitation from him during the preseason on launching those 3-point looks. Jake is finding success with that shot.
With the self-belief flowing again, and a clear directive to not let the highs and lows of a given night affect him too much, LaRavia has positioned himself as the safe option for the Lakers among the wings projected to come off the bench. That much assumes Quentin Grimes and Ziaire Williams start.
LaRavia has experience within the Lakers organization. He also has a few added years as an NBA pro to boast over Thiero. If JJ Redick is primarily focusing on the immediate future of this individual campaign, the 24-year-old forward stands out as the more reliable bet.
Adou Thiero is the upside play for the Lakers
If the Lakers are looking beyond simply what they can do this season, Thiero is the more valuable man to have as the priority in the rotation. Adou's athleticism gives him a ton of upside. The on-court reps would only help further his development.
Thurdsay night's game against the Sacramento Kings really helped capture the excitement and intrigue around Thiero. Defensively, the Lakers forward looked sharp and energetic. Adou managed to pair that with a modest but imperfect night on offense.
There were two mistimed alley-oop connections between Thiero and his playmakers on those throws, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, that stood out as moments that left something to be desired. However, you can point to those exact instances that call for more playing time.
A little added on-court chemistry with Doncic and Reaves through extra reps turns those moments into buckets during the next go-around. That raises Adou's offensive ceiling on an every-night basis.
A version of Thiero that has tapped into his athleticism and learned to harness it is the more valuable player for the Lakers in the long haul. That fully actualized version of him could even be a starter one day. If the long-term vision takes precedence for Los Angeles, Adou is the guy to tap over Jake for a bigger role in the 2026-27 campaign.
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