The biggest addition the Los Angeles Lakers made in free agency last offseason was the signing of point guard Gabe Vincent. The former Miami Heat starter was expected to bring toughness, defense and shooting to the position, but injury has limited him to just five games this season.
A knee issue has limited Vincent to just one game since November, but he would undergo surgery and has been working hard to get himself back on the court for the Lakers. Now at the final stretch of the regular season, there remains some hope that Vincent will return, but he still isn’t ready just yet.
With the Lakers set to begin a six-game road trip, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports that Vincent is not with the team in Milwaukee to start the trip but could join the team at some point during it if he continues to progress:
Gabe Vincent is not with the Lakers in Milwaukee, according to the team. If Vincent continues to progress in his rehab, he could join L.A. at some point in this six-game road trip
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 26, 2024
LeBron James has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks so the Lakers will have a difficult path to get this trip started with a win. But getting Vincent completely recovered and in shape for this final stretch would really give this team a boost.
Vincent proved during last year’s playoff run with the Heat that he is capable of delivering when the lights are bright and the Lakers could use that as they fight for postseason positioning. Vincent is a big game-tested player and the team could use his shooting and especially his defense against opposing point guards, which has been an issue all year long.
Vincent is someone who can help this team down the final stretch and there is no doubt he is doing everything possible to get back on the court as soon as he can. Whether or not that return happens before the season ends remains unclear, but the Lakers would love to see him back in uniform.
More internal optimism on Jarred Vanderbilt returning to Lakers from injury than Gabe Vincent
In addition to Gabe Vincent being out, the Lakers are also without their best perimeter defender in Jarred Vanderbilt. The Lakers would love for both to return from injury, but of the two, it looks like Vanderbilt is more likely to get back before the season ends.
A recent report stated that while it’s unclear whether either returns, there is more optimism in Vanderbilt’s return than Vincent’s. Vanderbilt was playing at a high level before he went down with a foot injury and the impact he has on this team is well known.
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