4 Lakers Who Won't Survive the Trade Deadline
By Cem Yolbulan
Gabe Vincent
How the Lakers failed to get any production out of Vincent is one of the under-discussed elements of the failure of the Lakers 2023-24 season.
Vincent was one of the main free-agent acquisitions of the summer for the Lakers, coming in to replace Dennis Schroder. He was coming off a Finals appearance with the Miami Heat, where he played over 30 minutes per game while guarding the opposing team's primary guard scorer and being a respectable shooter on the other hand. Many saw him as an upgrade over Schroder and he was widely expected to be a starter in the backcourt alongside Austin Reaves.
Yet, all the Lakers got from him have been five games as he has been sidelined with a knee injury all season. He will likely remain out for another month. At that point, it will be too late to integrate him into the roster. This looks like a lost season for the 27-year-old guard.
However, the Lakers can move his salary to make a move for a player who can help them this season. A more future-focused team could be willing to take Vincent on as part of a package that includes draft capital from the Lakers.