*FEATURES OF THE DAY*
Contained in the tumultuous Kawhi Leonard period in Los AngelesBaxter Holmes, ESPN
A prime decide in subsequent yr’s NBA draft is enjoying for one thing a lot greaterRohan Nadkarni, NBC Sports activities
BKN: Nets’ Latest Growth Document Hasn’t Matched FameSteve Lichtenstein
BOS: Is Payton Pritchard due for one more leap? Jay King, The Athletic
BOS: Which bench wing will step up in 2025?Robby Fletcher, Celtics Weblog
DAL: Cooper Flagg’s Coach on Dirk Nowitzki Assembly, Rookie Season PrepMark Medina, RG.org
GSW: How Quinten Submit has improved this offseasonJoseph Dycus, Mercury Information
IND: Who’re the Pacers with out Tyrese Haliburton?James Herbert, NBC Sports activities
LAL: How the Lakers’ bench might make or break their playoff pushRucker Haringey, Fansided
…one key bench member… is new arrival Jake LaRavia. The Lakers signed him away from the Kings in free company on a modest, two-year, $12 million contract in free company. That does not sound just like the type of wage an NBA title contender would pay an necessary bench piece, however Los Angeles didn’t have a lot wage flexibility to spend on the open market.
They inked LaRavia with the concept he is usually a high quality connector for them on offense. At 6-foot-8 he has the dimensions to see over opposing defenders and make a wide range of passes. He shoots the ball simply effectively sufficient from behind the 3-point arc to maintain defenses sincere. If the previous Wake Forest standout can discover the braveness to take extra photographs from 3, he might turn out to be a good higher contributor for the Lakers than he is been at earlier stops.
Defensively, LaRavia has the power to change onto a number of positions. He doesn’t possess the foot pace required to cease level guards on the level of assault, however he can swap onto greater wings and compete in opposition to them on the perimeter and within the publish. That versatility permits him to remain on the ground in opposition to all varieties of opposing lineups.
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