{"id":171491,"date":"2026-01-05T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T14:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=171491"},"modified":"2026-01-05T02:24:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T07:24:18","slug":"lakers-wing-building-case-for-permanent-promotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/01\/05\/lakers-wing-building-case-for-permanent-promotion\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Wing Building Case for Permanent Promotion"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

Lakers Wing Building Case for Permanent Promotion<\/b><\/h2>\n

LaRavia Starts the New Year Off with a Bang<\/b><\/h3>\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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

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