At this time last year, the Los Angeles Lakers looked the part of a potential contender. The Lakers were mere months removed from reaching the Western Conference Finals, and added one of the breakout stars of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Gabe Vincent, on a team-friendly deal to bolster their championship odds.
After a frustrating first season with the Lakers, Vincent is looking to remind the skeptics of how great the team can be when he's healthy.
Vincent missed 71 games during the 2023-24 regular season and inevitably struggled to return to his 2022-23 form once the playoffs rolled around. After an offseason that enabled him to heal, train, and recover, however, he's ready to remind the NBA of who he was in Miami.
Considering he's not too far removed from producing six 20-point games during the Miami Heat's run to the 2023 NBA Finals, that should have Lakers fans on the edge of their seat.
It's still early, but Vincent offered a glimpse into what the future could look like during the Lakers' 2024 preseason opener. He played 15 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that was all he needed to show why he's penciled in as JJ Redick's sixth man.
In just 15 minutes, Vincent provided evidence of how much better the Lakers could realistically be with him on the court in 2024-25.
Gabe Vincent completely transforms Lakers' second unit
Vincent finished his preseason debut with 11 points and a steal on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. He knocked down two of his four three-point field goal attempts and buried his lone free throw attempt while producing the best +/- of any Lakers player who saw at least five minutes of action.
Beyond the numbers, Vincent offered ample evidence to support the belief that he can thrive as a sixth man with his versatile scoring skill set and committed defense.
Vincent's first points came when he broke his man down from beyond the three-point line and drove in for a contested finish between two defenders. It was the type of play a Lakers reserve rarely produced during the 2023-24 season.
Vincent's next two buckets arrived in the form of a catch-and-shoot three in the corner during which he stopped on a dime and caught nothing but net, and an and-one bucket in the paint that came from his veteran ability to work the baseline.
Throw in another catch-and-shoot three, this time with a hand in his face, and Vincent offered a clear example of how complete he is as a scorer—and how badly the Lakers missed him last season.
On the other end of the floor, Vincent was arguably even more impressive. It was refreshing to watch him fight over screens, press the ball-handler to make them lose or pick up their dribble, and use active hands when he found himself under the rim.
In just one preseason game, Vincent produced the proverbial trailer for what he can give the Lakers in 2024-25: Everything the second unit was missing in 2023-24.
A season ago, the Lakers' second unit ranked No. 27 in offensive rating, due in no small part to the absence of reserves who could create their own looks. Second unit or otherwise, Los Angeles also ranked No. 28 in three-point field goals allowed—a clear representation of the need for guards who can crowd an opponent's space and fight over screens.
A single preseason game may not decide anything that transpires six months from now, but Vincent returning to the court has raised the Lakers' ceiling. The starting five helped Los Angeles produce the fifth-best winning percentage in the NBA after they were formed on February 3, but depth was a continuous issue.
In a span of 15 minutes, Vincent offered proof that he can strengthen the second unit and give a top-five starting lineup a chance to lead Los Angeles back to the realm of the contenders.