The Los Angeles Lakers’ premier free agent acquisition this offseason was Miami Heat starting guard Gabe Vincent. The Lakers used nearly their entire non-taxpayer mid-level exception to bring Vincent into the mix, now likely serving as the backup point guard behind D’Angelo Russell.
Vincent’s scrappy defensive style, court vision and at times hot shooting figures to provide much of what Dennis Schroder brought to the table in 2022-23, but arguably with more consistency. Vincent is the prototype of a Darvin Ham point guard, and figures to play a large role this season because of it.
And while Lakers fans are eventually going to love what Vincent brings to the table, it seems that he has already gotten a strong first impression from the Lakers roster and organization. He was very complimentary of the team’s energy and what he’s seen in the first few days of training camp.
“Biggest takeaway is I just love the energy we bring in every single day,” Vincent said on Wednesday. “Guys are excited to be here, but it’s not like a weird too excited kind of vibe. It’s more of an excitement, an eagerness to get out there and compete and play and get to know one another.”
His favorite thing about the Lakers so far is the way they’ve allowed him to play his game and be who he is on the court.
“I’ve been able just to be myself which I think is extremely valuable. That’s sometimes rare in this league, so guys have embraced me, allowed me to play my game and compete at the level I compete at and talk, and everyone has been receptive while also giving me knowledge as well. So it’s been a great learning experience on both sides.”
It was clear right from his signing that Vincent would be a perfect culture and basketball fit in L.A. The Lakers pride themselves on scrappy defense, smart offense and energy. Vincent brings all three consistently, as evidenced by his role with the NBA Finals-bound Heat last season.
Vincent explains why Lakers were best fit
Vincent went into detail on his free agency decision to sign in L.A. and what it was about the Lakers that gave him confidence.
“It seemed like it was the best fit overall,” Vincent said at Lakers Media Day. “Everyone wants to point at the dollar figure and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t play a role. I’m a human just like everybody else. But I think there’s a great opportunity here for me, especially with the way our lineup has shaken out, I’m really excited and looking forward to the year and what we can accomplish.”
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