3 Lakers on Thin Ice Heading into the Playoffs

3. Gabe Vincent, PG/SG

In an effort to add depth to the lineup, the Lakers signed veteran point guard Gabe Vincent to a three-year, $33 million contract during the offseason. Much to his dismay, though, Vincent's first year in the City of Angels couldn't have gone worse.

After playing in each of the team's first four games, Vincent missed the next 23 in a row due to a knee injury. He attempted a comeback toward the end of December but suffered a setback against the Chicago Bulls, resulting in his needing to undergo surgery that held him out of the lineup until March 31.

Unfortunately, Vincent has still left much to be desired since his return. The former UC Santa Barbara product has looked lost in the six games since coming back, averaging 1.2 points, 1.0 assists, and 0.7 rebounds while shooting 17.6% from the floor and 9.1% from deep. He even finished four of those games with zero points despite playing at least 13 minutes in each contest.

If Vincent doesn't pick it up in the playoffs, I won't be shocked if the Lakers trade him this offseason. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported in February that Los Angeles had dangled Vincent in trade discussions, indicating that the franchise might not be too keen on dealing with the remainder of his contract.

Moving Vince will be easier said than done given his 2023-24 performance. Having said that, he's "only" 27 years old and I won't be surprised if another team believes that they can rehab his career. Only time will tell if that winds up becoming a reality this summer.