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When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Gabe Vincent to a three-year, $33 million deal in July 2023, they hoped he’d be the same excellent postseason role player — 12.7 points and 3.5 assists per game in the 2022-23 playoffs — he was for the Miami Heat.
But LA did not get its money’s worth when Vincent missed most of the 2023-24 season with an injury.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus wrote that his contract is one that the Lakers “will regret most.”
“While Vincent’s contract isn’t long, he missed most of his first year with the Lakers and shot 10.7 percent from three-point range in 11 regular season games,” Pincus wrote in a September 6 story on each team’s most onerous contract. “L.A.’s budget was so tight that it couldn’t add free agents on standard contracts this offseason (outside of its two drafted players).”
Pincus looked for a silver lining, writing, “Vincent may bounce back with a healthy season.”
Gabe Vincent Gave Positive Update on His Health
Vincent did appear in all five of the Lakers’ playoff games last season, averaging 1.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 13.8 minutes per game.
Now, he said, he is healthy, a positive sign for the Lakers.
“It was very unfortunate, it was a frustrating year trying to battle through that and obviously having to give in eventually and have surgery and then return at the tail end of the year,” Vincent told Fox 40 Sports in August. “But definitely had some time this offseason to get healthy and looking forward to the year.”
Vincent, 28, is expected to be ready for the Lakers’ training camp in October, according to Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Bresnahan.
“Gabe Vincent, like, I really am excited to see what he can bring. … He’s ready, he’s been working out a little bit,” Bresnahan said on the September 6 episode of the “Lakeshow” podcast.
The Lakers did not make any significant changes to the roster during the offseason, so they “will be relying on” Vincent to give them “valuable minutes” in 2024, according to a September 6 Lakers Nation story.
Expectations for Vincent in 2024-25 Season
If Vincent has a role similar to the one he played with the Heat, the Lakers would have an above-average player who could help either the first or second unit. He didn’t start in any game last season, but if he’s healthy and plays well, he could get run with the first unit.
He’s also been a serviceable 3-point shooter for parts of his career. His best 3-point shooting campaign came in 2022-23. Vincent shot 36.% from 3-point range on 4.8 attempts per game that year.
He acknowledged it was a tough year but highlighted the offseason changes and is looking forward to the future.
“I think we just had a lot of movement going on. With the new coaching staff now and obviously me coming to a new team, I was trying just to get my feet under me,” Vincent said. “But unfortunately with the injury that set me back quite a bit which made things a little difficult. But we have a new staff now and I’m feeling healthy, so we’re looking forward to the year.”
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