The Los Angeles Lakers have made a $33 million decision that could make or break the 2024-25 regular season. By shipping D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets in a trade for defensive specialist Dorian Finney-Smith, Los Angeles has doubled down on its commitment from 2023.
For as intriguing as the addition of Finney-Smith is, the success of the recent move could prove to be contingent on what 2023 acquisition Gabe Vincent does in Russell's absence.
Vincent has become one of the most polarizing players in Los Angeles during the 2024-25 regular season. His defensive consistency has been a breath of fresh air for a team that's otherwise lacked it, but his erratic offensive production has proven detrimental.
Vincent has begun to produce with more consistency on offense, but a recent oblique injury could complicate matters.
As the Lakers navigate the rest of the 2024-25 regular season, however, the time for patience is running out. There needs to be some level of understanding of how an oblique injury could limit Vincent, but once he's back at 100 percent, the pressure will mount.
With Russell out of the equation and Shake Milton's role in the rotation unclear, Vincent will now need to play like the standout who earned a three-year, $33 million deal in 2023.
Lakers need Gabe Vincent to play at a $33 million level
Los Angeles has benefited in recent weeks from the rise of up-and-coming wings Max Christie and Dalton Knecht. Knecht has returned to the level that put him in the running for Rookie of the Year, posting 13 points in a win over the Golden State Warriors and 18 against the Sacramento Kings.
Christie, meanwhile, has scored at least 16 points in each of the past three games while showing flashes of the 3-and-D potential the Lakers paid him $48 million to realize.
For as compelling as that is, the depth at point guard is effectively gone. LeBron James and Austin Reaves are the team's primary playmakers, but Los Angeles still needs players who can defend and score at a level that makes matchups more manageable to either win or simply sufficiently manage.
Vincent has flashed that potential in the past, and in recent weeks, has begun to look like the player who helped the Miami Heat reach the 2023 NBA Finals.
Vincent is shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the arc during the month of December. It's one of the most significant elements of his evolution into a more reliable scoring threat for a Lakers team that's been without consistent options off the bench.
After failing to score at least 10 points in any of his first 19 appearances in 2024-25, Vincent has done so three times over his past 12 outings.
That may not be enough for the Lakers to crown him as the epitome of consistency, but it's an important sign of progress. With Russell no longer on the roster, the burden will now grow heavier, with Vincent tasked with creating in isolation due to the second unit's lack of shot creators,
If Vincent is up to the task, the Lakers may succeed in building a formidable second unit that can compete at a high enough level to supplement a potentially elite starting lineup.