Lit were the eyes of all those trade machine fanatics (guilty as charged!) when Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka revealed during his 40-minute season-opening press conference with head coach JJ Redick that the team could explore a trade to consolidate the roster.
For months, there has been ongoing speculation about the Lakers roster, with questions about whether the team will look to make a trade to address the remaining roster concerns and what the Lakers will do to become roster-compliant. And then there’s the debate about whom the Lakers will start at power forward, with several players — a mix of veterans and younger stars — in line to fight for the starting nod.
“I believe there are four starting locks: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes,” expressed Lakers insider Jovan Buha during a recent episode of his podcast. “I think they need someone who can defend multiple positions, including some of the bigger wings and forwards, someone who can complement Luka and Walker Kessler on the defensive glass … I could make a case for as many as six players: Jake LaRavia, Ziaire Williams, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero and Matisse Thybulle.”
A Trade Could Change the Outlook of the Lakers’ Starting 4 Spot
Of the six players Buha mentioned, two of them have been mentioned in trade rumors, especially Vanderbilt, whom the Lakers have reportedly shopped all offseason but have yet to succeed in finding a taker. While LaRavia, who started over half the Lakers games last season, hasn’t been mentioned as someone the team is trying to move, ClutchPoints David Yapkowitz believes the 24-year-old could be a “prime trade candidate.”
“But with the acquisition of Sandro Mamukelashvili, along with Williams and Thybulle, LaRavia also appears to potentially be squeezed out of the rotation,” Yapkowitz wrote. “Depending on what happens during training camp and preseason, he could find himself on the outside looking in. He’s an expiring contract as well. He’s in the final year of a two-year deal he signed last summer. And he still theoretically provides valuable production on the court. His name hasn’t come up as much in trade rumors as the above mentioned players, but certainly could become a prime trade candidate for the Lakers.”
Signed in free agency last summer, LaRavia quickly eased into his first season as a Laker before his play started to fade. Even if LaRavia maintained the pace he was on, there was no guarantee that he would be kept out of trade speculation considering all the new faces the Lakers have signed. There is a legitimate battle to be had for that open starting power forward role.
Could LaRavia Maintain Starting Duties?
LaRavia, who averaged 8.2 points per game while shooting 32.1 percent from the 3-point line over 82 games last season, will receive consideration to start for the Lakers … yes, even after coach Redick expressed that he wasn’t going to add another White guy to the starting lineup.
In fact, LaRavia’s proven availability and familiarity with Redick’s system might even give him the upper hand.
“LaRavia may not bring the offensive versatility that Mamukelashvili does, and may not be as good of a perimeter defender as Thybulle, but he’s a better defender than Mamukelashvili and has more experience guarding bigger forwards than Thybulle,” Lakers insider Khobi Price argued. “He has the size and defensive versatility the Lakers need from their fifth starter while also adding the connective offensive skills the Lakers need from his position. The familiarity of playing alongside Doncic and Reaves is a bonus.”
Lakers Tipped to Trade Key 6’7″ Starting Wing After GM Reveals New Roster Plan