And just like that, the Lakers are short another guard.
Gabe Vincent was practicing earlier this week with Los Angeles, but he appeared on the injury report for their upcoming matchup against the Jazz as questionable
with low back soreness.
Now, it’s gotten much more dire with the team stating he’ll be out and re-evaluated in approximately one week.
Vincent might not have superstar talent, but he’s an important part of the rotation. He plays 21.5 minutes per game and shoots a respectable 36% from 3-point range. Factoring in that Austin Reaves is still out with a mild calf strain, the Lakers suddenly have a very slim backcourt.
There is never a good time for a team to suffer an injury bug, but this is definitely a less-than-ideal moment for the purple and gold. They have four games on the schedule over the next seven days, including their Christmas Day game against the Rockets.
Given Vincent’s current timeline, he is unlikely to be available for that contest. The Lakers are currently on a road trip, so Vincent and Reaves will continue to rest and rehab while the team plays in Utah and returns to Los Angeles for a game against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome.
While Vincent will be out against the Clippers, there is a possibility that at least Reaves will return by then, since he’ll be re-evaluated soon to see if he is cleared to play.
Still, it seems that 2025 will end with a fully healthy roster remaining more of a wish than a realistic possibility.
Head coach JJ Redick has done a stellar job of getting the Lakers to win games despite how shorthanded they have been. He’ll need to continue doing so if they want to finish December off strong.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
