Former Grizzlies first-round pick Jake LaRavia made his debut with the Lakers in the preseason to mixed results from their fanbase. Lakers fans are as tough as they come, so LaRavia being their first signing during the offseason already didn't sit well with a fanbase that expects bigger signings at all times.
However, LaRavia became the ultimate hustle player during his time with the Memphis Grizzlies. Still, it wasn't enough for the franchise to keep him, as they traded him to the Sacramento Kings at the trade deadline last season. LaRavia is a forward by nature and spent most of his time with the Grizzlies playing as a forward, but he got the start at shooting guard for the Lakers in their first preseason game.
While it might be a little quick to judge his effectiveness at a position he isn't accustomed to playing or not his most effective position, Lakers fans already spotted what Grizzlies fans knew all too well about LaRavia as an NBA player.
Jake LaRavia doesn't raise the ceiling of a team
Role players don't typically raise the ceiling of an NBA team, but LaRavia's first-round status brought on more pressure than warranted for a player of his caliber. His time with the Grizzlies was disappointing in his first year and a half, but he showed promise in his last year with the team. Lakers fans specifically pointed to his inability to stay in front of his man on defense.
LaRavia was a decent defender last season with the Grizzlies because of his effort on the help side, but his slow lateral movement made him a liability against quicker players in one-on-one settings. Playing at the guard position likely made LaRavia look worse than he is on the defensive end, but it also highlighted his weakness on that side of the ball.
Offensively, LaRavia shot 50% from the field and three in his debut with the Lakers, and his role will likely be off the bench at his natural playing positions with their full roster playing. The Lakers experimented with something the Grizzlies never thought to, and got their answer as to why it was never tried.
Jake LaRavia shot 44.4% from three in 47 games for the Grizzlies last season, which is where the Lakers should look to utilize his skillset at the forward positions. His tenure with the Grizzlies didn't work out as intended, and now the Lakers fanbase has to come to terms with the player he is, despite the front office making him a top offseason priority.