The Lakers just did… something. That’s usually enough to be sensational. Their latest move, though, gives mixed feelings to both fans and former NBA stars. And no, this isn’t about LeBron James or Austin Reaves. This is about someone who didn’t get enough attention before he landed on the NBA’s radar. And it caused Gilbert Arenas some feelings.
It wasn’t about Deandre Ayton, the Lakers’ (and other teams’) biggest free agency target. If it were, Arenas would be popping champagne. Arenas’ irritation stems from a bench player with a not-so-star-studded resume.
Jake LaRavia was with the Sacramento Kings until this free agency. As soon as he hit the market, by some agent or GM’s insane strategic move, he landed on the Lakers roster on Monday. Just like that. No tryouts, no back and forth. Their desperation for a center had them swoop in on the nearest available one for a two-year $12 million deal.
Notorious ‘bandwagoner’ Gilbert Arenas bleeds Purple & Gold when the weather is right. As a famous fan, he summarized what LaRavia’s signing meant in a rant on his social media. “Never in my life have I ever seen a bench player, he signs so fast during free agency,” he starts about LaRavia getting swooped up so quickly, and calls out the Lakers next. “So this is what we doin’, now Lakers huh, signin’ Jake from all state.”
Gilbert Arenas loses it after Lakers sign Jake LaRavia the first day of free agency #lakers pic.twitter.com/HjOdyHY3hF
— Gilbert Arenas (@NoChillGilZero) July 1, 2025
As a student-athlete, LaRavia was indeed very good. He was an Indiana All-Star while playing at Lawrence Central High School. After getting selected in the 2022 NBA draft, though, he spent more time in the Summer League and G-League with not much to boast about. Throughout his NBA career so far, he’s averaged only 6.9 points, which irks Agent Zero.
Against the background of a post that labeled LaRavia’s trade as ‘Breaking News,’ Arenas ranted, “The nerve of this post saying ‘breaking news.’ ‘Breaking news’ is if we sign [Jonathan] Kuminga. That’s breaking news. If we signed DeAndree Ayto, who just hit the market, breaking news. If we stole Myles Turner from Indiana, breaking news. N—-s who averaged six points last year, that ain’t breaking news.”
And bluntly called the Lakers, “You a damn fool, huh.” He proceeded to question the urgency of this deal. “We could’ve got him dead last right before training camp, we could’ve had him try out. He had a 6-point, we could’ve had him try the f— out… Then put him in league with Bronny, put him in summer league with Bronny. S—, he probably won’t make that cut.”
Now that’s debatable. Bronny’s offseason training has been turning heads, but even he’s had more minutes (20.4 average) compared to LaRavia’s (6.7 minutes). JJ Redick might actually find a way to use this young center in the rotation. Especially when the trade buzz is that they’re pursuing one more center.
Fans have mixed reactions to Arenas’ take. Most can’t understand why the breaking news tag offends him this much when it has to do with the team more than the player. In his defense, you won’t find another person as passionate as Gilbert Arenas is about the Lakers.
Gilbert Arenas feels the Lakers need more
After losing Dorian Finney-Smith to the Rockets, who now also boast Kevin Durant, the Lakers seemingly needed to fill that void quickly. That brought a low-key guy like Jake LaRavia from Sacramento to LA. Fans got some cheeky fun under Arenas’ post by pointing out the nearly similar stat lines of Dorian Finney-Smith and Jake LaRavia to joke that it won’t be that different.
No Chill Gil, though, doesn’t care much about Dorian Finney-Smith. Arenas has been urging the Lakers to build a team around Luka Doncic since his arrival in LA. He have heavily advocated adding more depth around Doncic on his podcast, Gil’s Arena, for a while. And the name he suggested? Deandre Ayton.
Ayton and the Portland Trailblazers agreed to a buyout, which made him one of the top targets this offseason. At the same time as LaRavia’s signing, the Gil’s Arena crew discussed Ayton. Gil pretty much called him the “most important free agent in this moment of time.”
With 23-year-old LaRavia, the Lakers’ roster is getting younger. As per Gil, Ayton “changes your franchise because of the age, because he already has money. So basically, whoever he wants to say ‘yeah, I’m willing to come there to f— you to Portland,’ he does that s—.” The crew didn’t discuss LaRavia, but they have tomorrow for that.
And multiple reports have stated that the Lakers are actually interested in Ayton. Their only concern would be his inconsistency. Let’s see if the Lakers roll the dice and get Ayton or stick to their guns, i.e LaRavia.
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