A knee injury limited Gabe Vincent to just 16 appearances (including the playoffs) last season. That allowed him to make his debut with the Lakers.
That same courtesy won’t be extended this season, which will hopefully pass without the injury concerns that derailed last one. The focus now will be on whether Vincent can play basketball at a high level or not, and he has more to prove on that front than you might think.
He spent four seasons with the Miami Heat as an affordable, energizing player who impacted the game with his dynamism and gritty defense. The offensive wing position was largely difficult, as he shot just 39.9/33.9/85.2 and wasn’t the most prolific playmaker (2.3 assists to 1.2 turnovers).
He was, however, IMPRESSIVE in all caps during Miami’s run to the 2023 NBA Finals, which convinced the Lakers to reward him with a three-year, $33 million contract shortly thereafter. If he can’t get anywhere near that level again, it’s possible this will be the first and last big payday of his career. He’s 28, so this should be the heart of his prime. If it turns out his prime isn’t as high as hoped, the Lakers may regret the investment and look for a way out.
