The Los Angeles Lakers indicated Saturday that guard Gabe Vincent is advancing in his recovery from a left ankle sprain and could be back on the floor roughly three weeks after the injury occurred.
Vincent twisted the ankle on Oct. 26 during a victory over the Sacramento Kings and was initially projected to miss two to four weeks. Reporter Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group relayed that, according to head coach JJ Redick, the 29-year-old has increased his on-court work with assistant coach Lindsey Harding but has not yet taken part in contact drills. The organization hopes his timetable leans toward the shorter end of the original estimate.
The Lakers opened a five-game road trip against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 8 with a 7-3 record despite a series of injury absences. LeBron James has yet to appear this season, while Luka Doncic has missed four games and Austin Reaves three. Vincent has appeared in only three contests.
Los Angeles returns to Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 18 to face the Utah Jazz, a date that falls almost exactly three weeks after Vincent’s injury and one that team officials have circled as a possible target for his return.
In Vincent’s absence, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Nick Smith Jr. and Bronny James have shared ball-handling duties. Redick designed the roster to keep multiple creators on the court, a plan complicated by the current rash of injuries.
Despite the setbacks, team chemistry remains strong. After the club’s most recent win, Doncic said he is “enjoying [playing] very much with these guys” and believes the Lakers have “big potential” once the roster is fully healthy.
Source: LakersNation.com
