The Los Angeles Lakers need Gabe Vincent to step up with Austin Reaves out with a calf strain, but the veteran guard has failed to give fans hope over the last three years. He came to LA after being a starter on the Heat’s 2023 NBA Finals team, but the Lakers have never seen that Vincent. The 29-year-old has shot under 40 percent and has the front office exploring avenues to dump him before the deadline.
The Lakers' options in the backcourt are limited. Luka Doncic will play massive minutes, but the Lakers don’t want to extend Marcus Smart above 30, given his injury history. Bronny James keeps failing to prove he’s ready, and Dalton Knecht only makes Los Angeles’ biggest problem worse. Head coach JJ Redick must turn to Vincent, but that will likely end in disaster again.
This is no longer a small sample. Vincent was limited to 11 games in his first year with the Lakers, but he played 72 last season. The 6’2 guard already has 13 games this season for 96 contests with the franchise. Vincent has been virtually the same player throughout, and none of the production is enough.
The Lakers will get subpar production from Gabe Vincent again
Vincent is averaging 4.7 points, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game this season. His numbers were slightly better last season, but for his entire tenure, he averages just 5.8 points, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game. Vincent is shooting 38.5 percent from the field and 33.6 percent on his 3-point attempts to go with it.
He is making $11.5 million in the final season of a three-year contract. The Lakers vastly overpaid. Vincent has produced a negative-1.2 value over replacement player (VORP) during his time in Los Angeles, and his 0.030 win shares per 48 minutes tell a similar tale. Vincent has been worse than a replacement-level player since joining the purple and gold.
The Lakers thought they were getting a high-IQ guard just entering his prime. He averaged 12.7 points and 3.5 assists, while shooting 37.8 percent from 3-point range in the 2023 playoffs. Los Angeles believed he could translate that to a full regular season and be an impact option, but it never happened.
The Lakers can’t rely on Vincent to play a larger role. He is their only option with Reaves out, but this is a clear area Los Angeles should be looking to upgrade before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Vincent has proven to be an inconsistent shooter who can’t thrive in an off-ball role. The Lakers certainly aren’t taking the ball out of the hands of their three stars, so the fit just isn’t there.
The Los Angeles Lakers need Gabe Vincent with Austin Reaves out, but fans know he cannot be trusted. It could be a rough stretch with AR out. The Lakers just need Vincent to sink open shots, make the extra pass, and hold his own defensively. Sadly, that seems like too much to ask.