SUMMARY
- Gabe Vincent, a key player for the Los Angeles Lakers, is facing challenges with a left knee effusion.
- Vincent's absence and potential surgery create a significant impact on the Lakers' performance, causing them to fall from the 5th to the 9th position in the Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers are standing at No. 9 in the Western Conference as their star player is going through a left knee effusion. Gabe Vincent has already missed 25 games with the Lakers owing to the latest injury update and might miss the next six to eight weeks. While the player returned to the hardwood on December 20, 2023, against the Chicago Bulls, he could only play 14 minutes. In those 14 minutes, he just scored 3 points, 1 rebound, and 3 assists.
There’s no doubt that Vincent is a brilliant screen navigator, and despite his short 6’2 frame, he knows how to amp up his defensive capabilities. His assist-to-turnover ratio works magic with his physicality. The ‘Nigerian Damian Lillard’ has stepped on the court only four times this season, as the Lakers witnessed a fall from No. 5 to No. 9 in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is strongly considering surgery on his left knee with a timetable of 6-to-8 weeks, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Vincent rehabbed for almost two months for return, but the swelling is back and procedure is now a real likelihood. pic.twitter.com/pIkbvXnT5G
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 24, 2023
Shams Charania of ‘The Athletic’ reported recently that the player is strongly considering knee surgery to treat the effusion. This news makes the situation a little grave for the franchise, as the roster was in need of a suitable point/shooting guard amidst the D’Angelo Russell struggles.
While there were possibilities that the team could trade off the healthy Vincent in exchange for a better player from the Chicago Bulls, chances seem bleak now. As the trade deadline of February 8 will be approaching in no time, this might not provide the proper circumstances for the team to brace itself for a potential trade.
Gabe Vincent contract details: How much are the Los Angeles Lakers paying the guard in 2024?
Vincent helped his former team, the Miami Heat, stay dominant against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in May 2023. His stellar performance in Game 4 with 29 points outlined his trade contract with the Los Angeles Lakers the following season. The ‘Nigerian Damian Lillard’ inked a three-year contract with the Lakers for $33,000,000 with an average salary of $11,000,000. In 2024, the star guard will earn a base salary of $10,500,000.
This might seem like a monetary burden on the team when he has just played 24 of the total 29 games this season. However, Vincent is surrounded by rumors of a potential trade, as he might not be able to find a perfect spot on the roster after his return. The star guard of the Lakers has $14,034,855 in estimated earnings for the last four seasons. As the player has failed to put up a decent performance this season, the trade rumors might soon be turning into a reality.