When Jake LaRavia had it going for the Lakers, he looked like a genius signing for the franchise. He was knocking down so many threes against the Wolves to start the season that Anthony Edwards was asking who he was.
Then the lights got brighter, and LaRavia began to dim.
His shooting struggles from the perimeter became a problem. From January to March, his 3-point shooting percentage dropped each month. Once the playoffs started, things got worse for LaRavia. He struggled massively in the postseason,
only attempting seven shots as his shooting woes were clearly on his mind.
With LaRavia unable and unwilling to shoot, Lakers head coach JJ Redick was forced to bench him for the last two games of the postseason. During LaRavia’s exit interview, he discussed his year with the Lakers.
“I thought I had a good season in certain areas, and I think there’s a lot of things that I can work on in other areas,” LaRavia said. “Obviously, now seeing what the playoffs are like and stuff like that and falling out of rotation these last two games, it just makes me excited. Not looking at it negatively but just, I’m excited to go into this offseason and work on the things that I need to.
“Obviously, I didn’t shoot the ball in any capacity that I wanted to this year. Having months where you’re shooting sub 30% is just not going to cut it and I know I’m a way better shooter than that. So, just going into this offseason, working on specific things to be able to bring in next year.”
Since LaRavia started his career with the Grizzlies and then had a short stint with the Kings, this was his first time in a playoff setting and on a contending team. Some players are playoff risers, and others are fallers. LaRavia ended up on the wrong end of that spectrum.
However, his career isn’t over, and this playoff stint doesn’t have to be a forever status. He shot 42% from deep last year, and if he locks into the gym and has the right mentality, there’s no reason to believe he can’t get back to that level of play.
This offseason is a big one for the Lakers. They have a ton of cap space and are looking to add depth to their roster. LaRavia can either be a part of that depth or be one of the players the Lakers trade for new pieces.
For now, it’s time for LaRavia to control what he can control and lock in. There’s proof in performances like his against the Wolves and his 26-point game against the Grizzlies that he can be a great player. There’s also evidence like this postseason run that he’s not up to par.
It’s up to him to prove which player he can consistently be.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
