The Los Angeles Lakers signed Gabe Vincent to a three-year, $33 million contract in 2023 and instantly regretted it. He was always a minimum player, but the Lakers were fooled by his 2023 playoff run. Vincent was a starter for the Heat as Miami reached the NBA Finals. He was hitting shots, making plays, and defending well, but it didn’t last. The 30-year-old guard was disastrous in LA and remains a free agent in mid-July after the majority of the offseason moves have been made.
Vincent hasn’t even been in the rumor mill. Barry Jackson reported the Heat weren’t pursuing the free agent. He wants more than the minimum, but isn’t getting it at this stage. The 6’2 guard would be wise to sign with whatever team has interest, or he may end up out of the NBA entirely.
The Lakers traded Vincent to the Atlanta Hawks before the deadline, where it was much of the same. He struggled to hit shots, and the team was better without him on the floor. The Lakers must learn a lesson from this signing, and the harsh reality is slowly dawning on the veteran guard.
The Lakers vastly overpaid for Gabe Vincent in free agency
The Lakers were fooled by a hot playoff run. Even during the 2023 regular season, Vincent averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 0.9 steals in 25.9 minutes per game. Those are his career-best numbers, and they are far from game-changing.
For his career, the 6’2 guard averages 6.7 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game. He has shot just 39.2 percent from the field and 33.8 percent on his threes.
Vincent is an undersized guard with a questionable jumper who struggles to make plays and defend. Lakers fans aren’t surprised he remains unsigned in mid-July. The 30-year-old is struggling to generate interest after his disastrous stint in LA.
Things weren’t better in Atlanta. He played just 13.3 minutes per game and shot 30.0 percent from 3-point range after the trade. The Hawks had a negative-24.3 net rating with Vincent on the floor in the playoffs, and they were 7.8 points per 100 possessions worse with him in the game.
The Lakers have no interest in a reunion. They are building their roster around Luka Doncic. Los Angeles got younger, more athletic, and focused on pieces that fit around their superstar. They are using the final roster spots on talents they hope Luka can maximize and have plenty of players to develop.
Vincent will have to settle for a minimum contract if he wants to play in the NBA next season. He has produced a positive value over replacement player (VORP) just once in his seven years in the league. The veteran is an end-of-the-bench option at this stage. Those players don’t earn more than the minimum.
Gabe Vincent is inching closer to the harsh reality that he always was a minimum player in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers mistakenly overpaid and quickly regretted it. The veteran guard is struggling to find a new deal in free agency and will have to accept the minimum at this point. It is a cold, hard truth that the Lakers wish they knew back in 2023.
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