Tag: Gabe Vincent

Nick Young pinpoints Lakers biggest mistake this season

The former Los Angeles Lakers guard shared his thoughts on the Purple and Gold’s biggest mistake this season.

The Los Angeles Lakers season has come to an abrupt end. A 4-1 series loss to the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the playoffs ensured the Lakers will get an early jump on their offseason vacation plans. It’s the second time in two seasons Denver ended LeBron James’ dream of winning another championship.

According to former Laker Nick Young, the Purple and Gold’s failure can be traced back to a roster move they made during the summer. He believes the decision to add Gabe Vincent and move on from Dennis Schroder is what cost his former team against the Nuggets.

“If laker keep Dennis Schroder instead of Gabe Vincent we winning that series .. pls dnt make these same off season decisions,” Young posted on X. 

Vincent’s addition was seen as a shrewd move at the time. He had just helped lead the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals. He was a reliable backup guard who played well on both sides of the ball. However, injury issues derailed his season, while Schroder made a significant impact for the Toronto Raptors.

Vincent has another two years remaining on his contract with the Lakers. As such, he has plenty of time to prove why the front office decided to add him to the rotation. Or, he could be used as a make weight in a potential trade during the summer. Either way, his addition didn’t have the desired effect, and his debut season with the Lakers will be deemed a failure.

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This role player could make a big difference for the Lakers versus the Nuggets

One bench player could almost single-handedly help swing things in the Lakers’ favor against the Nuggets in the playoffs.

The NBA playoffs are almost here, and winning and losing often comes down to stars and superstars putting their imprint on games, especially at critical junctures. But often times, non-stars can make almost as big a difference.

In the history of the Los Angeles Lakers, there have been many such men who have been integral to their championship runs. Players such as Michael Cooper, Mychal Thompson, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher and Brian Shaw have provided the type of critical support that is needed to come through.

This year, the Lakers will begin what they hope will be a long playoff run against the Denver Nuggets, a team that has an eight-game winning streak against them. While that sounds like a dominant stretch, five of those eight games were competitive and decided in the final minutes.

Having simply one more role or complementary player step up in such games can make all the difference in the world. This time around, L.A. has a player who may be able to do just that: Gabe Vincent.

Vincent was signed by the team last summer to a three-year, $33 million contract after playing a key role in the Miami Heat unexpectedly reaching the 2023 NBA Finals. Some wondered if the guard was worth that contract or even if the team should’ve signed him. Sure enough, he played in just five games until late March due to a persistent knee ailment that eventually required surgery.

Since he has returned, Vincent has taken a while to get back up to speed. But in Tuesday’s play-in tournament win over the New Orleans Pelicans, he shot 3-of-6 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range to help the Lakers to a 110-106 win.

One can expect Vincent to play gritty defense and to hustle for loose balls and offensive rebounds. When the Lakers got swept by Denver in last year’s Western Conference Finals, Jamal Murray ran amok to the tune of 32.5 points a game, and no one on their roster could put up any resistance against him.

This is where Vincent can shine. He guarded Murray during last summer’s championship series, and while he didn’t exactly stop Murray, he at least made the Nuggets star guard work and didn’t allow any real explosions.

Vincent will need to fight over the top of screens and not give Murray any daylight on Denver’s pick-and-roll and dribble handoff sequences. The Lakers typically go under screens and play drop coverage against pick-and-rolls, and it will be interesting to see if head coach Darvin Ham tweaks that strategy against Denver.

The big key for the former University of California, Santa Barbara Gaucho will be to provide something of note offensively. That doesn’t mean he has to score big points. It simply means he needs to help out on offense, be efficient and space the floor, at the very least.

If he does that, he could become a significant X-factor in this series and possibly even give the Lakers a real shot at victory.

Gabe Vincent is expected to be available for Lakers on Sunday vs. Nets

The Lakers could be getting a key player back from injury very soon.

Guard Gabe Vincent, whom the Los Angeles Lakers signed to a three-year, $33 million contract last summer, was expected to be a key contributor. But he has dealt with a knee issue all season and appeared in just five games.

He underwent a procedure in late December, and he has been slowly progressing in his rehab this month. Still, despite several positive reports about his rehab, plenty of Lakers fans have had a cynical attitude about Vincent’s potential return this season.

But with the team in the midst of a six-game road trip, his return seems to be imminent. He will reportedly join it in Indiana on Friday and is expected to be available to play on Sunday when it takes on the Brooklyn Nets.

The Lakers have been soft defensively on the perimeter for most of this season. If nothing else, Vincent’s return would give them a boost in that department with the postseason nearing.

Gabe Vincent’s return could be around the corner

Believe it or not, Gabe Vincent could return to game action for the Lakers in a matter of days.

Guard Gabe Vincent was supposed to play a sizable role in the Los Angeles Lakers’ success this season after they signed him to a three-year, $33 million contract last summer. But he quickly developed a persistent knee issue, and he played five games before undergoing a procedure to treat the problem.

Many Lakers fans have been pessimistic about the former Heat guard’s chances of returning this season, especially after another former Heat player, Kendrick Nunn, didn’t play at all for L.A. two seasons ago.

But Vincent has been slowly progressing in his rehab. In fact, if all continues to go well, he could get back on the court for game action at some point during the team’s six-game road trip. That trip begins Tuesday versus the Milwaukee Bucks.

Vincent’s ability to play tough defense, get loose balls, hit shots on occasion and even handle the ball at times could give the Lakers a boost. However, he would have very little time to get back up to speed: The regular season ends in less than three weeks.

Gabe Vincent nearing the final step of his return process

Could Lakers guard Gabe Vincent’s return be imminent?

The Los Angeles Lakers showed signs of life in late January and February, winning 11 of 16 games going into the All-Star break. Since then, they have regressed, winning just half of their subsequent 12 games.

Their last two losses, to the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors in the last four days, have virtually eliminated any chance they had of finishing in the top six of the Western Conference. In fact, at this point, the 10th-place Lakers have little chance of even finishing eighth in the conference.

However, there may be a glimmer of hope. Guard Gabe Vincent, who has been out for seemingly forever due to a nagging knee ailment, may actually be nearing a return.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the final step in his return process will be regaining his conditioning.

Vincent’s return cannot come too soon. Los Angeles seriously lacks defensive resistance on the perimeter, and he is known for providing exactly that, especially last season when he helped the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals.

Per Darvin Ham, Gabe Vincent is cleared for non-contact work

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent has cleared another hurdle in his recovery from knee surgery.

Gabe Vincent was one of the Los Angeles Lakers’ most intriguing signings this past summer. The guard was a key member of the Miami Heat last season when they surprised people by reaching the NBA Finals, and he was expected to help the Lakers with his gritty defense.

However, he has played just five games due to a nagging knee problem that required surgery about two months ago.

His recovery has been slow, causing Lakers fans to expect him to miss the rest of the season. But he could be slowly nearing a return. He has reportedly been cleared for non-contact activity.

Although L.A. has won 17 of its last 26 games, it has lacked defensive pressure on the perimeter. If Vincent returns and remains healthy this season, he could supply that quality.

Shams: Gabe Vincent could return to game action as soon as next week

Guard Gabe Vincent, who has played in just five games for the Lakers this season, could be on the mend.

The injury bug has been an annoyance for the Los Angeles Lakers all season long. While it hasn’t been a major factor in their lack of success, it has made it difficult for head coach Darvin Ham to achieve any real consistency with his lineups and rotations.

Right now, guard Gabe Vincent, big man Christian Wood and forward Jarred Vanderbilt are out with injuries. Vincent and Vanderbilt are arguably the team’s two best perimeter defenders, while Vanderbilt and Wood are two of its best rebounders.

Vincent has appeared in just five games this season due to a persistent knee issue that eventually required surgery. He last played on Dec. 20, and there has been lots of pessimism regarding the chances of him returning this season.

Yet, according to Shams Charania, Vincent is “progressing to conditioning and ramping up on the floor,” and he could return to game action as soon as next week (h/t Lakers Daily).

Last season, Vincent played a key role in the Miami Heat’s Cinderella run to the NBA Finals by playing some gritty defense and hitting key, timely outside shots. Los Angeles signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal last summer.

Positive injury updates on Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt

Injured Lakers players Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt could be slowly nearing a return.

The injury bug has been a pretty big adversary for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. While LeBron James and Anthony Davis have remained relatively healthy, at least so far, numerous other players have missed at least several games due to various ailments.

Right now, guard Gabe Vincent, forward Jarred Vanderbilt and big man Christian Wood are out. Vincent had knee surgery several weeks ago after dealing with prolonged swelling, Vanderbilt suffered a foot injury about a month ago and Wood has a knee swelling issue of his own.

Many Lakers fans have been skeptical or even cynical about Vincent’s chances of returning this season. But Shams Charania reported Vincent is “doing more and more on the court” and the guard hopes to return in a few weeks.

Vincent, who emerged last season as a key contributor for a Miami Heat team that unexpectedly reached the NBA Finals, has appeared in five games this season. He is a gritty defender and hustle player who has shown some ability to hit timely shots and handle the rock as a secondary ball-handler.

As for Vanderbilt, he was seen without a walking boot on Monday when L.A. defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers will provide further updates on both Vincent and Vanderbilt next week.

Four injured Lakers to be reevaluated after the All-Star break

The Lakers will take a look at four of their injured players after the All-Star break concludes next week.

The Los Angeles Lakers may be starting to perk up. They have won four of their last five games and six of their last nine games, and their offense has been playing at arguably an elite level during that time.

As has become the norm this season, they have been playing short-handed. Guard Gabe Vincent has only played five games so far due to a knee ailment he recently had surgery on and forward Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a foot injury just days ago that is expected to keep him out for several weeks.

In addition, second-year guard Max Christie sprained his ankle on Thursday against the Denver Nuggets and missed Friday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans, while forward Cam Reddish has missed the team’s last nine contests.

All four will be reevaluated after the All-Star break, which will start this weekend.

Of the four, Vanderbilt is the most essential to L.A.’s success because of his defense, versatility, rebounding and overall energy and intensity. Vincent also has the ability to help the team with his defense, grittiness and ability to be a relief ball-handler.

Lakers have been including Gabe Vincent in trade talks

The Lakers have reportedly been trying to unload injured guard Gabe Vincent in a potential trade.

There has been a great deal of talk regarding the Los Angeles Lakers trying to make a trade ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Their two big rumored trade targets have been Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and the Toronto Raptors’ Bruce Brown, but lately, things have seemed quiet regarding L.A.’s efforts to get either man.

The one main trade chip the team has been dangling like a carrot is guard D’Angelo Russell. Russell went on a hot streak in January, and although he has cooled off in the past few games, the Lakers have reportedly been a bit reluctant to actually let go of him due to his excellent play.

According to NBA reporter Jake Fischer, they have also been including another guard in trade talks: Gabe Vincent.

Via Yahoo Sports:

“We’ve heard plenty of D’Angelo Russell’s involvement in the Los Angeles Lakers’ trade conversations to fortify the unit around LeBron James, Anthony Davis and front-office favorite Austin Reaves. Let it be known that Los Angeles has also been including injured point guard Gabe Vincent, who’s played just five games due to a knee injury, in various trade talks, sources said.”

The fact that Vincent will be out until at least late February, and the overall uncertainty regarding his status, will make trading him difficult. But if the Lakers can find a taker, his $10.5 million contract this season will come in handy when it comes to matching salaries in a potential deal.