The Los Angeles Lakers currently have two of the best players in the league in LeBron James and Luka Dončić.
They also made some great additions to the rest of their roster this offseason, bringing in Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia.
To have a chance at a championship, every team must have a few leaders, and according to Fansided’s Rucker Haringey, he expects one guy to have an important role for this Lakers team.
“LaRavia's youth and versatility will help him lead the Lakers' bench in minutes this season. Some fans might want to see a veteran like Smart or Vincent edge him out, but their long injury history will keep them from making that happen,” Haringey said Thursday.
“LaRavia will be the Lakers' biggest bench piece this season, and his performance will go a long way towards influencing their regular season win total.”
Already in his first year with the team, he is expected to play a significant role, one that surpasses that of any other bench piece they have.
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LaRavia is a six-foot-eight forward who most recently played for the Sacramento Kings.
What is interesting about this prediction is that the rotations and starting lineups have not been finalized yet, and LaRavia averages just 6.9 points per game in his career.
So, why would someone predict him to lead the Lakers bench in minutes and have the most important role when his competition consists of a former Defensive Player of the Year and a second-year player who shot 37% from three his rookie year?
It may be because of his versatility on both offense and defense.
A switchable defender and a guy who can score on all three levels to back up James.
A high expectation for a guy who has only played in small markets, but it is doable for the 23-year-old.
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