After playing two and a half seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before being moved at the 2026 NBA trade deadline, 30-year-old guard Gabe Vincent is still an unsigned free agent without a team less than a month before the October 1 date when rosters are set for the upcoming league season.
After a few years as a key contributor for the Lakers, starting on many occasions in 2024-25 and 2025-26, Vincent was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard as Los Angeles was looking for more shooting help for the playoffs.
But now, more than two months into the official NBA offseason, the veteran guard Vincent is still a free agent, without a set job for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Former Lakers Guard Is Still An Unsigned Free Agent
Despite playing a key role with the Lakers over the past few years, Vincent remains an unsigned free agent after he played out his three-year, $33 million contract this past season. The Hawks chose to let him walk this summer, and as of September 8, the two-time NBA Finalist is still searching for a spot on a roster for the upcoming season.
As a veteran guard, Vincent has the skill set several title contenders could use this year. But perhaps after his up-and-down time in Los Angeles, many teams question whether he is still worth bringing in this late in the summer.
“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.”
Though still in free agency, as Pincus mentioned, Vincent has been linked to a move back to the Miami Heat, where he started his career.
“I would expect them to go guard for one of their final spots,” NBA insider Brett Siegel said of Vincent being linked to signing with Miami. “I think a Gabe Vincent reunion there makes a lot of sense, especially since Bam Adebayo and Erik Spoelstra have been big advocates for him ever since Summer League.”
He played on the Heat from 2019 to 2023, helping the team make the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. Vincent then moved to the Lakers in the 2023 offseason, but injuries and inconsistent performances led to him being traded to Atlanta.
For now, he is still one of the top free agents available: a veteran guard who has playoff experience. If a contender doesn’t want him, he could be a valuable asset for a young team looking to make a leap this upcoming season.
Gabe Vincent In the NBA
As mentioned, Vincent started his career with the Heat, coming off the bench on a majority of occasions, but offering himself as a two-way role player during Miami’s two runs to the championship series. He averaged 7.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on 39.2% shooting with the Heat.
After his first four years, Vincent signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 2023, inking the $33 million deal he most recently finished.
It was a bit up and down playing in Los Angeles alongside LeBron James, as Vincent appeared in just 11 games that first season in the Purple and Gold. He then had a strong 2024-25 campaign, playing in a career-high 72 games and starting in 11 of them.
However, his minutes dropped after the team traded for Luka Doncic, as he was relegated to a smaller role off the bench. In this past season, he played in 29 games before being traded to the Hawks for Kennard. His numbers across the board fell while playing with the Lakers compared to his stats in the first four years of his career in Miami.
He then had a quiet role in Atlanta to finish off the year, seeing action in just 24 regular-season games and six playoff games.
After leaving Miami, Vincent failed to perform at the level of his contract with the Lakers, and as time has passed, he hasn’t looked like the same player he was with the Heat, which is partially why he remains a free agent into September.
Still, with his experience, Vincent could be a missing piece on a title contender, which, as Siegel mentioned, is why he’s linked to a move back to Miami.
The 30-year-old struggled to carve out a role during his time with the Lakers, and despite being a starter for multiple stretches, hasn’t found a job after being cast off by Los Angeles this past trade deadline.
Former Lakers Starting PG Is Still A Free Agent, Linked To Title Contender