Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent drew rave reviews from people like head coach JJ Redick during training camp for his leadership on and off the floor, earning him a role in the rotation.
Vincent’s first year with the Lakers was ruined by a lingering knee injury, but he bounced back last season as a valuable contributor off the bench. Heading into the 2025-26 season, Redick praised Vincent as a player he trusts and someone that he expects to have a tangible impact on the team’s success.
Through three games, the guard looked much like the player Los Angeles saw last year but things quickly turned after he injured his ankle in the win against the Sacramento Kings.
Vincent was ruled out for the remainder of the game, and he is set to miss extended time with a sprained ankle, via Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks after undergoing an MRI on his sprained left ankle, sources tell me and @mcten.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 28, 2025
The injury bug has hit the Lakers hard as they are already without LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Vincent was ruled out for the game against the Portland Trail Blazers along with Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes, who are also dealing with their own ailments.
Without Vincent, head coach JJ Redick will be forced to lean on the likes of Dalton Knecht, Bronny James and even two-way players like Nick Smith Jr. and Chris Manon. Smart should be back soon to help anchor the guard rotation, but Vincent’s presence will be sorely missed.
Although Vincent is undersized and can’t guard up a position, he remains a useful defender because of his understanding of rotations and help. Offensively, he’s primarily used as an outside shooter though he can also run the offense if needed.
Although the Lakers have a softer schedule on paper the next couple of weeks, treading water until Doncic and James got much harder now that Vincent joins them on the bench. Hopefully he’s able to come back sooner than later or else Los Angeles could find themselves behind the 8 ball when it comes to the standings.
Gabe Vincent is all-in on 2025-26 Lakers
Gabe Vincent may not be a star player, but he’ll be heavily relied on to soak up minutes and play hard on both ends of the floor. The Lakers might not be considered a top-tier contender, but Vincent is still all-in on the current roster.
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