The Los Angeles Lakers were largely quiet to open up free agency, though they did come to an agreement with free agent forward Jake LaRavia on day one.

LaRavia was reportedly the Lakers’ first call in free agency perhaps because he shares an agent with Austin Reaves, but his fit on the team is easy to envision. A combo forward who can shoot it from deep and keep the basketball moving, LaRavia profiles well as a rotation piece off the bench for head coach JJ Redick, though his youth lends some optimism that he’s got more upside left.

LaRavia is no stranger to Los Angeles as he was born in Pasadena and spent his early childhood there before he and his family moved to Indianapolis. The young forward now returns home and revealed that his dad was overjoyed that he would be suiting up for the purple and gold.

“My dad is super excited,” LaRavia said. “He grew up out here; Pasadena is where me and all my brothers were born. But yeah, my dad is super excited. My dad was a big fan of Magic growing up, so when he got the news, he was on the verge of tears. Don’t tell him I said that.”

Most people who grow up watching basketball near L.A. grow up Lakers fans and LaRavia’s family is no different. LaRavia is too young to remember the peak of Lakers basketball in the early 2000s, but is likely old enough to remember Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol leading the team to two championships later in the decade.

It’s a full circle moment for LaRavia who will certainly get a chance to show what he can do on a Los Angeles team that can use more outside shooting and athleticism. Los Angeles’ bench was thinned out toward the end of the regular season and Redick only trusted a couple of players, so adding more talent in LaRavia should help keep the starters fresher throughout the year.

As of now, the Lakers can still use another big man and 3-and-D wing to round out the roster, but landing someone like LaRavia was a good move overall. Hopefully he continues to develop and helps the team get back into the playoffs.

Jake LaRavia’s age and skillset make him a valuable target for teams, but he felt like the Lakers were the best fit for him when evaluating his options in free agency.

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