Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers had to attach a second-round pick to trade Gabe Vincent in a deal that saw them add Luke Kennard. Now, the former Lakers guard is fighting for his last chance in the NBA as he remains a free agent deep into the offseason.
Most recently, Vincent has been linked to the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, but after his failed stint with the Lakers, the point guard still isn’t on a roster for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season.
Vincent reportedly worked out for the Knicks after the team made a bunch of roster moves, and could also go back to his old team in Miami. Still, his post-Lakers playing days haven’t worked out as expected, with the 30-year-old still looking for work this year.
Ex-Lakers Guard Gabe Vincent Linked To Knicks, Heat In Free Agency
According to SNY’s top Knicks insider Ian Begley, Vincent worked out with the team and could be an option to join the training camp roster before the season begins.
“Other players the Knicks have been in touch with as training camp nears: Guard Gabe Vincent, who is working out with the team,” he wrote.
However, that report was made just before New York made multiple roster changes. With that, it’s tough to tell how interested the Knicks would be in the former Lakers’ guard’s services, as it appears they’ve already completed the final offseason moves the front office wanted to make.
Additionally, even though the Knicks made contact with Vincent, the veteran with playoff experience is also linked back to his former team in Miami, where he helped them make a run to the 2023 NBA Finals.
According to several insiders, Vincent is a potential backup or reserve point guard option for the Heat, and as one NBA writer said, he could add postseason experience.
“While he shot a steady 36.9 percent from three-point range for the Lakers, the fit wasn’t seamless in Atlanta, where he dropped to 30 percent,” Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report wrote on Vincent as a free agent. “In the right situation, Vincent should be able to help a team in need of veteran bench leadership. The Heat seem quite thin at point guard behind Davion Mitchell; Vincent has a history with the franchise and seems a viable fit.”
Still, after being cast off by the Lakers last season, Vincent is still without a team for the upcoming year as of mid-September, just weeks before NBA rosters are finalized on October 1.
The Point Guard Had A Tough Time In Los Angeles
After making the NBA Finals with the Heat, Vincent signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Lakers in the 2023 offseason. He became a solid option in Los Angeles, starting on several occasions before the Luka Doncic trade was made.
After that, Vincent was relegated to a much smaller role, and after a now-infamous moment caught on camera that many speculated was LeBron James signaling him as the next player to be traded, that’s exactly what happened.
The Lakers traded Vincent and a second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, and on his new team, the point guard found himself in an even smaller role.
Following his averages of 4.8 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 19.3 minutes per game in his half-season with the Lakers last year, those numbers dropped even more, and his playing time was at just 13.3 minutes once he joined Atlanta.
Vincent was expected to be a solid point guard option on the Lakers, but he never took a step up during his time playing in the Purple and Gold.
Now, he’s doing whatever he can to get back on a roster, in what might be his final attempt to keep his career alive in the NBA.
Cast-Off Lakers Guard Linked To Knicks, Heat In Fight For NBA Roster Spot