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Lakers Complete First Free Agent Signing

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Quenton S Albertie | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 7:11 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers have completed their first free agent signing, agreeing to sign Jake LaRavia a two-year contract worth $12 million, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Lakers Sign Free Agent Jake LaRavia

A first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, LaRavia arguably just had the best season of his young career.

Though he actually averaged his career-high in scoring (10.8 points per game) the season prior, he was far sharper at both ends in 2024-25. In 66 games, he averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.9 steals in 20.4 minutes per game. He also shot a career-high 42.3 percent from 3.

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

Ultimately, the 23-year-old’s blend of youth, athleticism, versatility, and efficiency make him an intriguing addition to their second unit. In fact, with Dorian Finney-Smith now heading to the Houston Rockets, there’s already a hole that he can fit in. Whether LaRavia can make an immediate impact, let alone whether he can stay in Los Angeles longer will depend on if his performance last season was just a flash in the pan though.

To that point, LaRavia played just 70 games his first two seasons. In that time, he shot 38.9 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from 3. The tools have always been there. However, the jury is still out on how well he can use them.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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