Los Angeles Lakers 2024-25 Player Review: Gabe Vincent Recovers to Fill Reserve Role
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Guard Gabe Vincent arrived in Los Angeles as a 2023 free-agent signing after helping the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals, but a knee injury limited him to just 11 appearances in 2023-24. With a full offseason to heal, the 29-year-old returned to action in 2024-25 and took part in 72 regular-season games for the Lakers.
Head coach JJ Redick quickly leaned on Vincent’s defensive pressure and valued his outside shooting when it showed up. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 6.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 40.0 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three-point range. His contributions fluctuated, however, creating inconsistency for a team that committed three years and $33 million to him.
Season Highlight
Vincent’s most memorable performance came on March 6 against the New York Knicks. Los Angeles trailed for much of the night before the guard drained all four of his three-point attempts, including three in the fourth quarter. His transition triple off a LeBron James assist with 1:20 left gave the Lakers their first lead, setting up an eventual overtime victory.
Postseason Struggles
The momentum did not carry into the playoffs. During the first-round series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Vincent’s production slipped to 2.8 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.0 assist per game on 35.7 percent shooting overall and 30.8 percent from deep.
Looking Ahead to 2025-26
Vincent enters the final year of his contract as a reserve behind Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart. The Lakers explored trading his expiring deal during the offseason but found no immediate takers, leaving the possibility of a mid-season move open if his role or production fails to expand.
Source: LakersNation.com
