The Los Angeles Lakers didn't wait long to find a replacement for veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith after he reportedly agreed to leave Southern California and take his talents to the Lone Star State to join forces with Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.
Unfortunately, this isn't the big splash that Lakers fans were hoping for, as Finney-Smith leaving for a four-year, $53 million contract offer from Houston shows just how little wiggle room Rob Pelinka has to work with now that the Purple and Gold can negotiate with free agents and their representatives.
While the newest addition to Los Angeles' roster is quite familiar with the franchise as he is coming from one of the Lakers' Pacific Division rivals, this will be the first time in his career where he deals with the type of pressure that comes with playing in L.A. and being teammates with icons like LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Lakers Sign FA Forward Jake LaRavia to Replace Departing Veteran
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Los Angeles agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with former Sacramento Kings forward Jake LaRavia. The former Wake Forest Demon Deacons standout is going to be asked to serve as a reliable 3-and-D option for second-year head coach JJ Redick, a role he is familiar with from his time in Sacramento and with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Free agent forward Jake LaRavia has agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. LaRavia had a strong finish after joining the Sacramento Kings last season. pic.twitter.com/hXw9E1PzZV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
The biggest difference between those stops for LaRavia and what he is walking into with the Lakers is that the barometer for success is far different than what would be deemed acceptable for the Kings and Grizzlies. That is just the way things work when you sign on to play for one of the most storied franchises in the history of the league.
LaRavia split time between Memphis and Sacramento this past season after being shipped to the Kings via trade. In 66 total appearances, LaRavia averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 20 minutes per game. Those numbers are fairly average, but what Pelinka and the Lakers are hoping for is that LaRavia brings the same perimeter shooting threat to Los Angeles as he knocked down a career-best 42% of his attempts from beyond the arc this past season.
After seeing Finney-Smith leave for the Rockets, Pelinka better hope that LaRavia brings that same shooting touch with him to the Lakers.
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