Gabe Vincent was ruled out for Friday’s game against the Golden State Warriors as the 2023-24 NBA season nears. The new Los Angeles Lakers guard was dealing with an injury, but the specifics were previously unclear. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham later shared a pivotal update on Vincent, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“Ham says it’s a precautionary measure for Vincent who was experiencing some back tightness,” McMenamin reported.
The situation will obviously be something to monitor. Fortunately, the fact that this was just a precautionary measure is a positive sign.
Vincent made a name for himself in the NBA last year with the Miami Heat. The guard, who’s entering his fifth season in the league, averaged 9.4 points per game for Miami during the 2022-23 campaign. He was imposing during the playoffs, which was pivotal given Tyler Herro’s injury absence.
NBA INJURY NEWS: Gabe Vincent & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Vincent ultimately averaged 12.7 points per contest during the postseason. He also saw his three-point percentage skyrocket from 33.4 percent during the regular season to 37.8 percent during the playoffs.
The Lakers were impressed and added Vincent during this past offseason. They expect Vincent to add the necessary depth on the roster as a guard. There is a chance Vincent takes another step in a positive direction and has the best season of his career in LA as well.
D’Angelo Russell is projected to be Los Angeles’ starting point guard. Even Austin Reaves could get some reps at the point as well. Vincent is expected to be the Lakers’ primary backup point guard, however. It will be interesting to see how he fares as the leader of the second unit.
NBA INJURY NEWS: Gabe Vincent & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The Lakers will proceed with caution in reference to Gabe Vincent’s injury status as the preseason continues on. Barring any setbacks, it seems likely that Vincent will be ready for the start of the regular season though.
