The Los Angeles Lakers may have surpassed the expectations of many pundits with their performance over the course of the 2024-25 regular season but, as we know, regular season success isn't what the Purple and Gold prioritize.
Championships are what matter most in Los Angeles and players will be judged based off of whether or not they help the Lakers come any closer to bringing another Larry O'Brien Trophy to Hollywood. Because of this, the pressure is on each and every member of Los Angeles' roster as they begin what Rob Pelinka, J.J. Redick and the rest of the organization hope to be another deep postseason run after locking up the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
Despite all of that, one player in particular could find his future with the franchise in question without a strong postseason performance.
Lakers PG Gabe Vincent's Job is in Jeopardy Heading into NBA Playoffs
There are no doubts as to who the floor general of the future is now that Luka Doncic is in the fold. Los Angeles will build around him as the centerpiece of their roster for the next generation as LeBron James has reached the stage of his career where the future is more of a year-to-year outlook for him rather than a long-term one.
With that being the case, it will be imperative for Vincent to show that he is too valuable of a contributor to the team's pursuit of a championship for the front office to consider moving on from him this offseason. The veteran point guard will be in the final year of his current contract once the 2025-26 season tips off which could make him an appealing trade chip if he fails to raise his game now that the Purple and Gold are competing for the right to lay claim to the league's biggest prize as his cap number for next season is only $11.5 million.
Should the Lakers elect to move on from Vincent, they likely would not have many issues replacing the production that would be lost as the former UC Santa Barbara standout is, at his best, a volume scorer who only makes nominal contributions when it comes to recording assists, rebounds and steals. This past season, Vincent made 72 appearances for Los Angeles and averaged 6.4 points to go along with 1.4 assists and 1.3 rebounds in just over 21 minutes per game while shooting 40% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc, and 71% from the charity stripe.
Whether it comes through the draft, the Lakers' only selection in the 2025 NBA Draft is the No. 55 overall pick at this time, or through free agency, you can find depth pieces in the backcourt that can provide what Vincent did, or more, for much less than $11.5 million.
At the end of the day, Vincent's future is very much so in his own hands. His contract can be viewed as a valuable trade asset if Pelinka and the rest of the brain trust in the front office lose faith in him or it can be viewed as a relatively team-friendly deal that keeps familiarity at the point guard spot in Los Angeles.
We'll find out soon enough what Vincent's future ultimately holds as it largely hinges on what he is capable of doing on the hardwood over the course of the Lakers' playoff run.