Gabe Vincent gives positive update on knee injury after missing 46 games in Lakers debut season
The excitement surrounding the LA Lakers’ acquisition of Gabe Vincent in the summer of 2023 quickly faded. Vincent, after helping the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals that year, struggled to get on the court due to a knee injury. The Lakers eventually shut him down in late December so he could get arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
Vincent returned in time for the 2024 NBA playoffs after missing 46 games but couldn’t contribute as expected. He was nowhere near the hard-nosed defender with clutch playmaking fans were accustomed to seeing. Vincent averaged 1.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists against the Denver Nuggets in the postseason.
Gabe Vincent looks ready for the LA Lakers’ 2024-25 campaign. Here’s what he had to say when asked about his health leading into the season:
“Body is feeling good. It’s a long summer trying to make sure my knees are good and in good shape. … Looking forward to a new season ahead and take on these challenges.”
The former Heat guard added how tough it was to sit while his teammates competed:
“It was difficult. It’s always hard when you can’t play at the level you want to and you can’t get back to your teammates and the organization the way you know you can.”
If Gabe Vincent can shrug off the injury bug this season, the Lakers will have a deeper and more versatile backcourt because of his presence. He is a point guard but will not have any issues playing off the ball. He is used to that role when Heat coach Erik Spoelstra used Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro to run the offense.
Vincent is also a reliable player on the defensive end. Unlike D’Angelo Russell, teams will not consistently hunt him on that end.
Gabe Vincent called new Lakers coach JJ Redick a basketball “savant”
Gabe Vincent will play for his second coach in two years with the LA Lakers. JJ Redick has taken over from Darvin Ham. Vincent hasn’t played a minute for the new coach but already has high praise for the former ESPN analyst.
Here’s what Vincent had to say about Redick in an interview with Fox40 News:
(4:44 mark)
“Yeah, very, very, very high IQ. I think LeBron is almost in a league of his own in many ways, but JJ’s IQ is very high. You saw that when he played, you’ve seen it when he’s doing the breakdowns at the media, day in and day out. He’s a savant of basketball as well.”
How Redick, the “savant,” will use Vincent remains to be seen. Laker Nation will be interested to see if the veteran can flourish under the first-time head coach.