Comparing Jake LaRavia To Dorian Finney-Smith: 9 Years Younger, $7.25M Cheaper

LaRavia isn't actually $9 million cheaper. He signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Lakers, which comes to $6 million a year. Finney-Smith, meanwhile, will earn $13.25 million a year as he received a four-year, $53 million deal from the Houston Rockets. 

So, LaRavia is about $7.25 million cheaper than Finney-Smith. It's a solid contract considering what he brings to the table.

LaRavia averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings in 2024-25. The 23-year-old shot an excellent 42.3% from beyond the arc on 2.2 attempts per game.

You do wonder if that was a bit of an aberration, though, considering LaRavia shot below 35% from three in each of his first two seasons in the NBA. We'll find out the answer to that question in 2025-26.

As for Finney-Smith, he averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets in 2024-25. The 32-year-old wasn't quite as efficient as LaRavia from deep, shooting 41.1% from beyond the arc.

A look at the stat sheet would indicate there isn't much to separate these two, but Finney-Smith's impact can't be measured just by looking at the box scores. He helped elevate the Lakers defensively upon arrival midseason and played his part in their surge up the standings in the second half of the campaign.

Finney-Smith's absence will undoubtedly be felt on the defensive end. His departure would also be a blow to Luka Doncic, as the two have been friends since their time together on the Dallas Mavericks. You do wonder how Doncic has taken this news. 

Getting back to the topic of defense, LaRavia isn't a poor defender, but he won't have the same kind of impact as Finney-Smith on that end of the floor. Despite that, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie thinks the Lakers might have upgraded here or gotten a player of similar caliber for a fraction of the price.

Vecenie acknowledged that Finney-Smith is better defensively but reckons LaRavia is far better on offense.

"I think the offensive gap is pretty sizable in favor of LaRavia, FWIW. Would agree DFS's defense is better. But LaRavia's cutting, passing, quick decision-making, on top of the shooting is a pretty real step forward."

Interestingly, the Lakers were one of the teams against which LaRavia had a lot of success offensively. He averaged 19.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in his first four outings against them. He was incredibly efficient in those games as well, shooting 59.5% from the field and 63.2% from three.

LaRavia has scored 25 or more points four times in his career, and two of those outings were against the Lakers. This is a team he has loved playing against, and it will be interesting to see how he plays for them.