The Los Angeles Lakers continue to move pieces in this hectic NBA market. This Monday, the arrival of forward Jake LaRavia was confirmed with a two-year, $12 million contract, an interesting bet for a young player who closed last season with good minutes with the Sacramento Kings.

The agreement with LaRavia was negotiated by agents Aaron Reilly and Reggie Berry, of the AMR agency, and is fully guaranteed.

The 22-year-old forward, selected 19th overall in the 2022 Draft, had a good final stage with the Kings, averaging 6.1 points and 38.5% shooting from three-point range over 19 games.

LaRavia's arrival comes just as the departure of Dorian Finney-Smith, who signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Houston Rockets, is confirmed. Everything indicates that LaRavia will take his place in the Los Angeles rotation.

Finney-Smith headed to Houston after stint with the Lakers

The transfer of Finney-Smith becomes a significant loss for the Lakers, considering his defensive impact and his good performance from the perimeter. He averaged almost 29 minutes per game and 39.8% shooting from three since his arrival from Brooklyn in December.

His new contract was negotiated by Michael Tellem of Excel Sports and represents a key addition for Houston. Finney-Smith is not only effective from beyond the arc—he shot a career-best 41% from three-point range—but he also ranked among the league's top 10 defenders from mid-range, defending at least 125 attempts.

In Houston, he could take the place of Dillon Brooks, recently traded to Phoenix in the deal that brought Kevin Durant to the Texans. The move signals a shift in the Rockets' strategy, opting for veterans with solid defensive experience.

Finney-Smith, 32, opted out of his $15.4 million player option with the Lakers before signing his new deal. Throughout his career, he has excelled as a versatile defender, key in small-ball lineups and with experience playing alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas.