The NBA season is officially over, and the Los Angeles Lakers' new ownership will have its first chance at putting its own stamp on the team. It isn't a wild jump to assume that one of the first moves will likely involve upgrading the center position.
The Lakers were reduced to playing a five-man lineup in the playoffs with Rui Hachimura and LeBron James guarding the opposing center. This set up L.A.'s quick exit and ended what was expected to be a deep run. With new ownership has come even higher expectations that the Lakers will look to increase spending.
The Lakers are cash-strapped this summer, though, meaning trades are the likeliest path to upgrading the frontcourt. Los Angeles will likely be forced to trade a player or two, and a clear avenue the team must explore is trading wing defender and shooter Gabe Vincent.
Lakers Should Explore Trading Gabe Vincent This NBA Offseason
Vincent simply cannot be relied on consistently, putting him on thin ice as far as head coach JJ Redick's plans go. For a team expected to push the boundaries of the salary cap, it would be a wise decision to move on from the undersized guard.
The Lakers need to create more space to add legitimate contributors alongside LeBron James and Luke Doncic, and an easy path to doing this is using Vincent's deal.
Los Angeles could have a tough time finding someone to take the deal on, even with Vincent's playoff experience. It is possible the Lakers will need to add on a draft pick and make it part of a larger deal to escape the rest of the contract. The Lakers are expected to explore all options, with only LeBron and Doncic expected to be off limits when it comes to trade talks. Where Austin Reaves stands with new ownership and how likely a future deal might be will answer whether or not he is included in trade discussions.
For Vincent, it has been an up-and-down run with the Lakers that is often defined by frustrations. In 83 games withe L.A., the former UC Santa Barbara product has only averaged 6.0 points, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 rebounds while shooting 39.0% from the floor and 33.2% from distance.
Vincent could benefit from a change of scenery, and Los Angeles could use his cap hit and roster spot for another position. With this in mind, Laker fans should prepare themselves for more roster overturn heading into the 2025-26 season.