{"id":518199,"date":"2026-01-05T14:18:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T14:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/518199\/"},"modified":"2026-01-05T14:18:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T14:18:11","slug":"lakers-wing-building-case-for-permanent-promotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/518199\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Wing Building Case for Permanent Promotion"},"content":{"rendered":"

NBA fans won\u2019t have to wonder who No. 12 is<\/a> anymore.<\/p>\n

Lakers forward Jake LaRavia<\/a> has quietly excelled despite fluctuating roles. Now, some believe his recent efforts could lead to a well-deserved promotion.<\/p>\n

Lakers Wing Building Case for Permanent Promotion
\nLaRavia Starts the New Year Off with a Bang<\/p>\n

LaRavia rang in 2026 with back-to-back 20-point games\u2014both of them against one of his former teams, the Memphis Grizzlies. He dropped an efficient 21 points (8\/12 FG, 3\/6 3PT) on Jan. 2, along with nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. LaRavia followed that up with a 26-point outing last night. He shot 9\/16 from the field and 4\/10 from three\u2014while tallying five rebounds, four assists and a steal.<\/p>\n

LeBron James on Jake LaRavia:<\/p>\n

“We need his ability to score in bunches at times obviously with AR, Rui and Gabe out\u2026 To have that step up from Jake, we’ve needed it, obviously. He’s just playing with a lot of confidence.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) January 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

In his postgame remarks, LaRavia told reporters<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just trusting the work I\u2019ve been putting in recently. Obviously, [the] shot was struggling early on, and coach [JJ Redick was] telling me, players [were] telling me, \u2018Just keep shooting the ball.\u2019 They trust me, I trust myself. So it\u2019s really just about going into the game and then doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShots aren\u2019t gonna fall every game,\u201d he added, \u201cbut I can control the effort that I bring to the game, crashing [the glass] every time. \u2026 Just trying to do that every night and just bring an energy to this team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JanJan 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake Laravia (12) shoots the ball over Memphis Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
\nLakers May Have Found a New Starter<\/p>\n

LaRavia\u2019s recent play\u2014particularly on defense<\/a>\u2014has some fans pushing for him to start permanently<\/a> going forward, even when Rui Hachimura<\/a> (out with calf soreness) returns. It\u2019s a sentiment that a West coach echoed to Heavy Sports\u2019 Sean Deveney<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cRui is the fifth option in that lineup, and he is just not good at being a fifth option\u2013he needs the ball more. I think Jake LaRavia is a lot more comfortable in that role, just playing with energy, playing that level of defense and not needing plays to be called for him to score.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new year could bring about a necessary change to the Lakers\u2019 first unit. As solid as Hachimura has been offensively, it\u2019s no secret that he has struggled defensively<\/a>. With the Lakers\u2019 starting five boasting an abundance of scorers, perhaps a shift to the bench could work in his favor and hide a critical weakness in the process.<\/p>\n

LaRavia, meanwhile, has brought a much-needed spark on defense in terms of his effort and intellect<\/a>\u2014all while knocking shots down at an improved clip. In 12 starts this season, he\u2019s averaged<\/a> 12.7 points (48% FG), 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game. These last two contests<\/a> have seen him put up 23.5 points on 60.7% shooting from the field, 43.8% from three and 85.7% from the charity stripe. That efficiency, physicality and effort are all vital next to a pair of elite scorers (trio when Austin Reaves<\/a> is healthy).<\/p>\n

Jake LaRavia could be the perfect two-way wing next to LeBron James<\/a> and Luka Doncic<\/a> in the short term\u2014at least until the Lakers find the true upgrade they\u2019re looking for<\/a> ahead of next month\u2019s trade deadline. For now, no matter his role, LaRavia has grown into an excellent hometown hero<\/a>, getting one step closer to having a true breakout campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

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