Jake LaRavia Discussion: Lah-Rave-E-Ya!

He outplayed his contract during the regular season ($6 million), but I could care less if he's gone.

Maybe him and his buddy AR can be traded to the same team.

 

Can Jake LaRavia Become a Real Lakers Rotation Piece?

 

^He sucks. Thanks Austin for recruiting him. Appreciate that.

 

I think Jake's hate is unreasonable.

I don't understand why players like him or AR are disliked. They're true pros, work hard, play hard, accept their roles. Never complain. It's what you want in your team and locker room.

Another thing is everyone expects a finished product like these guys don't evolve. I'm 100% sure Jake will be a better player next year than last year.

He played 82 games (only 11 out of >500 did it). First time in a contender with a clear role. Always competed. Can shoot. Can dribble. Can pass. Has some IQ. Plays and defends hard. He knows exactly what is needed from him and where to improve, having the whole summer to just work on it.

He is in a low salary. If he's good, we have a rotation guy that we can get long term at his salary (like 3/20). If he doesn't, it's an expiring to trade at the deadline for an upgrade + more minutes for Carr/Adou.

I think our mistake with him was extending his role because of the injuries. He was playing 35mpg, that's insane. He needs to be kept at the low 20s with the same role and he will deliver. If we need more minutes, gotta do it by committee and extend Carr and Adou

 

I’m one of the few that believe he can be a rotation player and even develop into a 5th starter.

The problem was he kind of lost his shot in February and never found it again. He isn’t a good dribbler or creator. And during the playoffs he got such a bad case of stage fright, it looked like the monsters from space jam stole his talent.

He needs to find his shot and become consistent from the corners. Add his ability in transition and defense and he can be a nice piece.

But I also wouldn’t be against trading him too.

 

Yup. It’s literally him looking like he just came up from the G-League and those were his first ever NBA games that have me not interested in him anymore.
Now, if his shot was just off, but he was playing great D, making good passes, and rebounding well, then fine, I would give him a pass.
He will only become trade-able again if he gets his shot back. Man, we have TWO of those guys on our squad.

 

I have literally zero concerns about Jake going forward. Just watch him come back next season much improved and steady from 3. He'll be a very solid role player in this league, hopefully with us.

 

i hate these takes: i wanted AR starting for the time he was 1/2 way thru his rookie year. AR is my second favorite laker.

OTOH I can't stand Jake because after he missed 3 straight critical threes in game he went into a shell and sucked balls.
He couldn't shoot in the playoffs, he couldn't dribble - he was a turnover machine, and played like headless chicken for the most part.

same crap I took for years about how Vando just ends up being unplayable in the playoffs - oh you just don't appreciate all the things he does.. No, It's the freakin NBA you get paid millions of dollars: these participation tropy takes for grown a** men meeting the minimal standards of professionalism mean nothing till he produces on the court.

 

I hope he’s back unless traded for better value and agree he’s going to be better and a great value for the money. We bit** and bit** about the team having no patience and little development on promising players, and here some because he struggled got bad on offense last part of season, hit a wall with all the minutes and games, whatever reasons, and now **** him and throw him in the trash he’ll NEVER get better. Sorry you hate this take but you can’t have it both ways. He’s definitely got contributing rotation player, large athletic, strong defender upside. Definitely more offensive potential than Vando will ever have. And showed it earlier in the season.