5 Young players the Grizzlies should develop, 3 to give up on
By Tyler Watts
Develop: Jake LaRavia
LaRavia was the 19th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but the 6’8 forward struggled to get minutes as a rookie. He averaged 18.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 29.2 minutes per game in the G League, including shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 36.4 percent on his threes.
LaRavia produced similar numbers in summer league and hopes to take a significant step forward in year two.
The 21-year-old will be in the mix to start at the three during training camp. Can he seize that opportunity? LaRavia is the best shooter in their young core, and he has the size to defend multiple positions. He must be more physical to defend inside, and he struggles against quicker guards, but there is room to improve.
It is too soon to give up on Jake LaRavia. He struggled as a rookie, but plenty of players do. There must be improvement in year two or the 21-year-old could quickly slip to the other side of this ledger. Fans saw positives and things to work on in summer league. Expect him to be in the gym preparing as he looks to take advance of the massive opportunity in front of him during training camp.