Lakers' Gabe Vincent Out At Least 2 More Weeks Before Knee Injury Is Re-Evaluated

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without backup point guard Gabe Vincent for at least the rest of November.

Vincent has missed eight games with knee injury that will be evaluated again in two weeks, the Lakers said Thursday.

Vincent is in the first season of a three-year, $33 million contract with the Lakers.

The former Heat guard had his best game of the season immediately prior to his injury, when he recorded nine points, two assists and a steal in an October 30 win over the Orlando Magic.

Point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino is progressing toward playing, the Lakers said Thursday, and could help fill in for Vincent's absence when he returns.

Until the return of their 2023 first-round pick, who has yet to play a regular-season game, the Lakers may give more minutes to Cam Reddish. Reddish played almost 38 minutes, a season high, in a November 12 win over the Portland Trail Blazers due to the absences of Vincent and Taurean Prince.

The news of Vincent's extended recovery time is bad news for the Lakers' chances of seeing the depth guard adjust to his new team.

Through four games in purple and gold, Vincent has averaged 6.0 points in 28 minutes per night while shooting 39.3 percent from the field and going 1-for-14 from behind the arc.

Vincent struggled most during a 132-127 October 29 loss to the Sacramento Kings, when he was held to just two points and three rebounds and committed a critical foul late in the fourth quarter.

It has so far an underwhelming Lakers debut for Vincent, who was a key part of the Heat's run to the 2023 NBA Finals. After averaging a career-best 9.4 points and 2.5 assists during the regular season, Vincent upped the ante in 22 postseason games to average 12.7 points and 3.5 assists as Miami's starting point guard.

Lakers fans will hope to see Vincent's play return to that level once he is back on the court.

That improvement could come from playing with a more consistent rotation. With Hood-Schifino and Jarred Vanderbilt reportedly nearing returns from injury, the Lakers are expanding their healthy roster. The team will have to wait until November 30 to see if they can add Vincent to that list.