Getty Head coach Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been without Gabe Vincent since the end of October, a 19-game stretch that has seen them experiment with different lineups and rotations and find a bit of a groove, winning three straight and 11 of the last 15 contests he has missed.
“Guard Gabe Vincent is hopeful for a return as soon as Dec. 18 for the Lakers’ home game against the Knicks, according to league sources,” wrote Shams Charania of The Athletic on December 11. “Vincent has been limited to just four games this season because of rehabilitation from left knee effusion.”
Vincent, 27, signed a three-year, $33 million contract in free agency after a strong run with the Miami Heat in the postseason.
He is averaging 6.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 rebounds in four appearances this season.
Vincent was a candidate to start for the Lakers at point guard. His 3-and-D skillset figured to mesh well with that of LeBron James. But the former undrafted free agent is shooting a career-worst 7.1% from deep on 3.5 attempts per game. The small sample size certainly doesn’t do Vincent any favors.
And the guard admitted that he was still getting a feel for his new environment and teammates before he suffered the injury in October.
“More and more [comfortable] each day,” Vincent said during the preseason via Spectrum SportsNet on October 11. “Getting to know each other, get to know how guys move, how guys play, know our offense a little bit. We’re starting to grow.”
Lakers Have More Lineup Options
In Vincent’s absence, the Lakers have found a groove at guard with D’Angelo Russell starting at point guard. They have also shifted Austin Reaves back to the sixth-man role he thrived in last season and with similar results too.
Los Angeles’ defense has also gotten a boost playing Cam Reddish alongside James, Anthony Davis, and Taurean Prince who, like Reddish, started somewhat out of necessity and has stuck.
Could Vincent’s return lead to another shakeup of the lineup amid such success?
Jarred Vanderbilt returned to action three games ago. He had missed the entire regular season and all but one preseason game up to that point. It was his absence that left the door open for Prince to start, per Ham. Vanderbilt has come off the bench in all three of his appearances since returning.
It is unclear whether or not that is due to the Lakers’ success or his conditioning, though. It remains a situation to monitor. The Lakers’ recent success affords the front office some time to practice patience on any lineup changes just as it does on the trade market.
Lakers Need Gabe Vincent to Play Well
Vincent just signed this offseason. But he is one of several Lakers players who are frequently mentioned in trade rumors. He will be trade-eligible on December 15.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic linked the Lakers to Chicago Bulls’ guards Alex Caruso and Zach LaVine, as well as forward DeMar DeRozan. But the Lakers could also focus on making another set of smaller deals, per Buha.
Regardless, the Lakers need Vincent to perform as he did for most of last postseason.