5 Lakers Playing Their Final Season in L.A.
By Cem Yolbulan
Gabe Vincent
The Lakers gave Vincent a three-year, $33 million contract in the 2023 offseason but the 27-year-old combo guard has only been able to play in five games all year. His injury-riddled season is one of the more underrated factors in the Lakers' disappointing performance.
Unless Vincent gets healthy and becomes an impact player the rest of the way, it's hard to see the Lakers bringing him back. Los Angeles doesn't have the luxury to pay over $10 million per year to non-contributors.
Vincent is a playoff-proven player. He has been a solid two-way guard for the Miami Heat in their deep postseason runs. He can defend and shoot reasonably well, making him a good fit in Los Angeles. So, there is still a chance he could emerge as a solid backup option for the Lakers for the rest of the season. But, his salary structure, age, and potential trade value around the league make him an easy trade candidate if the Lakers want to go all-in in the summer.