The Los Angeles Lakers regret signing Gabe Vincent to a three-year $33 million contract in free agency. He helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in 2023 but has played just five games for the Lakers. Vincent is set to undergo knee surgery and be out until February. His team has lost five of their last six and may not have time to wait.
The Lakers could look to move from Vincent before the trade deadline, but he may not be healthy. No team will be eager to trade for a guard coming off knee surgery with two years left on his deal. Rob Pelinka and company would have to use him as a salary-matcher, but even that won’t be easy.
There is certainly some regret because Vincent cannot stay on the floor, but who could the Lakers have signed instead? These five options look enticing.
5. Kevin Love
Love was teammates with King James for four years in Cleveland. They brought the Cavaliers their lone championship and made four NBA Finals appearances. Love knows LeBron well and was always willing to sacrifice for team success.
The 6’8 big man was an unrestricted free agent in the 2023 offseason before signing a two-year $7.8 million contract with the Heat. He has a player option in the summer of 2024. Love went to Miami in the buyout market last season and helped them reach the NBA Finals. Convincing him to leave wouldn’t have been easy, but the persuasion of his friend may have done the trick.
They could have signed Kevin Love for virtually the veteran minimum to improve their rebounding, floor spacing, and experience. The 35-year-old can no longer play massive minutes, but he is a solid rotation piece who knows how to win. Love is averaging 18.7 minutes per game and continues to shine in his role.
4. Eric Gordon
Gordon was viewed as one of the steals of the offseason as he signed a two-year $6.5 million contract with the Suns. The 6’3 guard chased his first championship and wanted to play with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix.
Gordon is already unhappy with his role, and the team is struggling. Injuries have played a factor, but their uneven roster construction hasn’t helped.
The Lakers are 28th in 3-pointers made and attempted this season. They would love to have another floor spacer who can handle the ball and run the offense. It is the role they envisioned for Gabe Vincent, but he won’t be able to fill it for the majority of the season.
Gordon is averaging 13.2 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steal in 31.7 minutes per game for the Suns. He is shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3-point range. Both are above his career averages, but there would have been plenty of open looks in Los Angeles too.
The Lakers could have signed Eric Gordon for considerably less than Vincent and gotten more offensive production. The 35-year-old has slipped a bit on defense, but can still hold his own. Los Angeles certainly wishes it had a reliable option to turn to, and Gordon would be the perfect answer.
3. Derrick Jones Jr.
Jones Jr. is having a career year in Dallas. He signed a one-year $2.7 million in the offseason in hopes of building his value for the summer of 2024. Luka Doncic gets his role players open shots, and Jones Jr. is capitalizing by shooting 36.7 percent from 3-point range and averaging a career-high 10.4 points per game.
The 6’5 forward is known for his defense, but his offensive game has blossomed with the Mavs. He had never shot better than 33.8 percent from 3-point range and was known more for his dunks than production. DJJ helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in the bubble but was playing an end-of-the-bench role. The 26-year-old is just entering his prime and ready for more playoff experience.
The Lakers would love to have Derrick Jones Jr. on a minimum contract right now. There is no guarantee his shooting percentage would have jumped so far in Los Angeles, but it has improved four straight years. A leap was coming and the Lakers missed their chance at benefitting from it.
They would have missed out on the playmaking, but Derrick Jones Jr. would be a fantastic 3-and-D wing to turn to off the bench. It would mean playing Austin Reaves more as a point guard, but having DJJ producing is better than the five games of Gabe Vincent before the trade deadline.
2. Jeff Green
Green joined forces with LeBron James on the 2018 Cavaliers where they lost in the NBA Finals. The 6’8 forward did not win his first championship until 2023 with the Nuggets, which was his 15th NBA season.
He took a two-year $16 million contract from the Rockets in free agency as Houston tried to get back into contention. They knew they needed veterans, and the 2024-25 season is a club option.
The 37-year-old can only play 15 to 20 minutes per game at this stage of his career, but he is a connector. Green won’t complain about his minutes or touches. He is happy winning games and offering a veteran voice in the locker room. The 6’8 forward was excited by the massive payday, but he may have been convinced to join the Lakers for a bit less.
Jeff Green does not offer the playmaking or youth of Gabe Vincent, but the veteran would have been an impactful role player. He speaks fondly of playing with King James and may have come to Los Angeles if the GOAT reached out to him. His impact would have been greater than the five games of Vincent thus far, but the 6’3 guard will produce more in the playoffs if he can get healthy and remains in LA beyond the trade deadline.
1. Dennis Schroder
Fred VanVleet’s departure left a hole for Schroder in Toronto. The Raptors landed him with a two-year $25.4 million contract, but that was after the Lakers signed Gabe Vincent. There was interest from both sides in Schroder staying in LA, but the team viewed Vincent as a better option (subscription required).
Schroder is averaging 14.2 points, 6.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 32.1 minutes per game for the Raptors. He is shooting 35.3 percent from 3-point range and has played in each of Toronto’s 29 games to begin the season. His 930 minutes played are seven times what Vincent has logged with the Lakers already.
The Raptors could be on the verge of a teardown at the trade deadline, and the Lakers should have interest in re-acquiring Dennis Schroder. The 6’1 guard would offer some needed playmaking and offensive punch in Los Angeles. He is comfortable playing off LeBron James and Anthony Davis and could hit the ground running.
Do the Los Angeles Lakers cut bait on Gabe Vincent before the Feb. 8 trade deadline? They will only do so if they can acquire an upgrade. There will be plenty of talent available, so stay tuned to see what the Lakers have in store.