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What Jake LaRavia told JJ Redick on the phone in first call as LA Lakers sealed deal

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 5:44 PM ET

Jake LaRavia had an insightful conversation with JJ Redick that really allowed him to buy into the LA Lakers’ vision.

The Los Angeles Lakers have had quite a strange offseason so far. After their disappointing first-round exit, the Lakers knew they had to address different parts of their roster.

The first step was addressing their gap at the center position. To do this, the Lakers signed Deandre Ayton to an $8 million contract.

But the Lakers were handed a big blow when they lost two-way wing Dorian Finney-Smith, who signed with the Rockets.

To replace the sharpshooting forward, the Lakers signed Jake LaRavia in free agency. The forward is a younger, more athletic player with a similar profile to Finney-Smith.

But how did the talks between the two sides go when they first began discussions? LaRavia revealed what his initial conversations with head coach JJ Redick were like.

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

Jake LaRavia reveals ‘cool’ conversation with JJ Redick

Jake LaRavia spoke in an interview recently with Lakers Nation about joining the LA Lakers. When discussing his first conversations with the team, he revealed he had a bit of a fanboy moment.

LaRavia revealed he spoke to head coach JJ Redick and told him repeatedly that he watched him play growing up. In fact, LaRavia modeled his game after Redick and hopes the coach can help him develop further.

“When we were on the phone and he first called me, I was like ‘I used to watch you, it’s so cool for that to happen. I grew up watching you, and now you’re my coach.

“Even from watching him back then, he’s a movement shooter, and you don’t see that archetype anymore, constant movement off ball, sharp shooter.

“In that way, because I haven’t fully developed into that shooter yet, where I’m lower volume right now, I think he can maximize my game where I am taking more attempts per game, maintaining that 40 percent three-point shooting average, becoming an elite shooter at a high volume.

Jake LaRavia weighs in on Dorian Finney-Smith exit opening door for LA Lakers signing

Jake LaRavia also revealed how Dorian Finney-Smith’s departure proved to be the catalyst for his eventual signing with the Lakers.

“I would say it was pretty big, just for the fact of like finances. I don’t know what they would have had if he did stay.

“As soon as there was rumors of him leaving, I was like, ‘the Lakers are a spot where I can go and take over that role, and grow into being that player that I know I can be.'”

Given the complicated nature of the NBA salary cap after the latest CBA, the Lakers couldn’t have realistically made all the signings while keeping Finney-Smith.

Losing Finney-Smith to the Rockets will be a difficult blow to overcome. But if LaRavia delivers at the highest level possible, the Lakers front office won’t lose any sleep over the exit.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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