James Worthy is bullish on Lakers' acquisition of Jake LaRavia
But they also got forward Jake LaRavia to agree to a two-year, $12 million contract. This move has flown somewhat under the radar, but there are some in the NBA community who feel he may turn out to be a gem for the team.
James Worthy, the Lakers Hall of Famer from their Showtime squads of the 1980s, seems bullish on LaRavia. He said during the "Lake Show" podcast that the 23-year-old will thrive offensively in L.A.
'I like him,' Worthy said. 'Coming to play for JJ Redick, who encourages you to take the three when you open.
'Playing with the biggest magnet in the game, Luka [Doncic], eight out of 10 plays he gets into the paint, there are four players that are collapsing around him, he's going to be able to find those guys if you can move to the level and get in eyesight.'
Worthy also pointed out that L.A.'s two other main stars will help LaRavia get good shots.
'I think he'll find some shots. LeBron is another guy that breaks down the defence, Austin Reaves, he can break down the defense.
'So if you're a savvy guy that knows how to drop down to the level of the ball, and be in sight, you are going to benefit from that.'
LaRavia hit 42.3% of his 3-point attempts this past season, and that is a skill the Lakers definitely need more of, especially since it looks like Redick wants them to be a high-volume 3-point shooting team. He can also attack the basket off the dribble a bit, and he may be an underrated defender, especially when it comes to getting steals and deflections.
During the 2024-25 season, LaRavia averaged 12.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals per 36 minutes.
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