The Los Angeles Lakers have acted swiftly to replace departing forward Dorian Finney-Smith. In the immediate aftermath of the news that Dorian Finney-Smith is headed to the Houston Rockets, the Lakers signed Jake LaRavia to a team-friendly deal. In the process, the Lakers added an intriguing talent and sent a clear message to Dalton Knecht: The door is open for you to claim a bigger role, but you need to walk through it.
Finney-Smith made a profound impact on the Lakers, helping to anchor the team’s mid-season emergence as a defensive force. Losing him thus required Los Angeles to find a 3-and-D wing they could potentially slide into a significant role.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Lakers have potentially found the answer by signing LaRavia, 23, to a two-year, $12 million deal.
LaRavia could be an essential contributor if he continues to develop along his current trajectory, but his contract says all Knecht needs to hear. Door is open for Dalton Knecht, but Lakers need to see more
Knecht is coming off of one of the most productive seasons by a Lakers rookie in quite some time. He scored with impressive efficiency, producing at a rate of 17.0 points per 36 minutes while shooting at a clip of .461/.376/.762.
Despite the remarkable displays of upside on offense, Knecht struggled to secure consistent playing time—due all but entirely to his struggles on defense.
LaRavia, meanwhile, is the prototypical 3-and-D up-and-coming player. He finished the 2024-25 season averaging 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 three-point field goals made in just 20.4 minutes per game, shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc.
LaRavia’s production translated to marks of 12.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.6 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes—a clear display of his well-rounded potential. With LaRavia signed to a two-year deal at just $6 million on average, however, it’s clear that the Lakers are leaving the door open for him to be surpassed on the depth chart. He clearly has the potential to do it all, including defend at a level Knecht thus far hasn’t been able to. Knecht’s ability as a scorer, however, still exceeds that of his fellow reserves—and he should be able to play off of LaRavia in reserve-heavy lineups.
LaRavia’s defensive acumen is his greatest selling point to the Lakers, but there’s nothing he does that Knecht is incapable of. If Knecht steps up and proves he’s up to the defensive challenge, the minute distribution should be in his favor.
The Lakers have sent a message that is both loud and clear, however, and Knecht can’t afford to ignore it: Earn your minutes.
