It’s about time the Lakers take back what’s rightfully theirs. Watching each season spiral into another tragic rerun has to trigger a mindset reboot. Maybe snagging DeAndre Ayton as the new starting center was the first move. But let’s be real—that was just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the roster? Very touchable. Yes, even Luka Doncic and LeBron James aren’t immune. If they’re staying on as the leading men, the real question is—who’s backing them up? Turns out, free agency’s still got some gems left to hand them the muscle they need.

Ayton’s already winning hearts—but hey, that might just be desperation talking. He’s no flawless savior, and no one’s pretending he is. The Lakers just need him to play like the whole season’s riding on his shoulders. Still, even the fans know this offseason’s nowhere near finished. Honestly, LeBron might’ve been spot-on using them as a stalking horse all along. So, who’s the guy to drag Showtime back to its glory days? Plot twist—there’s two. Which, of course, makes the front office’s job messier. But hey, they’ve built this bed. Now it’s time to lie in it—preferably with a banner on the ceiling.

“Amir Coffey is the one for me that I really like. And I think if there’s a way to get him for the biannual, that would be someone that I would, you could get Amir Coffey for the biannual… Maybe like, you know, there’s been some buzz about a potential Jackson reunion, which I didn’t anticipate, but that has been out there. So maybe Jackson is your backup placeholder five and then. You go, you have the option of Ayton, Jackson or centerless small ball looks. And then on the wing, it’s a new starting wing. And then you add Coffey and melt in into the mix off the bench,” said Jovan Buha on a recent episode of the Buha’s Block podcast.

Amir Coffey and Isaiah Jackson might not be flashy names, but they could quietly solve a lot for the Lakers. Coffey brings size, switchability, and the kind of low-maintenance, do-the-dirty-work wing play this roster desperately needs. He doesn’t need the ball, just a role—and he plays it well. Meanwhile, Jackson’s a spring-loaded big who thrives on energy, rim protection, and vertical spacing. Think: young legs, live body, and zero ego. With Ayton anchoring the middle, Jackson could be the chaos agent off the bench. Neither guy needs a spotlight—they just need a system. And if the Lakers are smart, they’ll build one that lets these two thrive in the gaps between stars.

This might just be a Rob Pelinka masterclass. He needs one desperately – after his Dorian Finney-Smith fumble. Did he really think that could work? Or better yet, did he think DFS and camp wouldn’t find out? Well, that move forced them to move for Jake LaRavia, who is a promising prospect, but is no DFS in the locker room.

Jake LaRavia might not bring what Dorian Finney-Smith did to the locker room

Just to remind you, Pelinka went around different front offices with the prospect of lowering DFS’ free agency price by allegedly fabricating a busted knee. Well, the cat’s out of the bag. Everyone knows what’s up now. Smith’s gone to the Rockets, and in comes Kings forward Jake LaRavia.

The kid’s a 6’8″ wing with a Swiss Army knife vibe—versatile, gritty, and quietly effective on both ends. He puts up around 7 points, 4 boards, and 2–3 assists in limited minutes—think 17 to 23 a night. But the real juice is in the details: he shoots a smooth 39–42% from deep, racks up hustle stats like deflections and loose-ball dives, and plays smart, switchable defense. Add in his sharp passing and you’ve got a role player who makes winning plays without demanding the spotlight. He’s not a star—but he’s exactly the kind of glue guy winning teams love having around.

Well, he might not be the glue guy Dorian was. “Now I do think Jake is better equipped to guard maybe like your threes and maybe like maybe some bigger slower twos compared to Dorian. I do think Dorian like in terms of the interior defender, he’s better, he was better. And I think there’s certain intangibles that he brings that we just, you can’t really quantify in terms of locker room presence, communication, being a guy that, you know, JJ can go at and you know, it’s one of those like, I can go at him because he’s going to take it,” said Khobi Price on the Buha’s Block pod.

So, Amir Coffey and Isaiah Jackson to the Lakers? Honestly, why not. That feels like the kind of sneaky-good move that could get Rob Pelinka back into Lakers Nation’s good graces. They’re not headline guys, but they fill real gaps—quietly and efficiently. But then there’s Jake LaRavia. Can he erase the trauma of the Lakers’ daily fantasy struggles? Maybe. He’s got that 3-and-D frame, flashes real upside as a floor spacer, and doesn’t try to do too much. If he finds rhythm in the system, he could be the steady presence they’ve been hunting for on the wing. It’s a stretch—but one worth taking if you’re playing the long game.