There is bad news for 27-year-old guard Gabe Vincent, who has been dealing with a left knee injury ever since the beginning of the season. Vincent just played the first four games of the season until his last game on December 20th against the Chicago Bulls. As he was strongly considering getting surgery, news has come out that has ruined Christmas for him and Lakers fans.
The Lakers added Vincent as a reserve guard to their off-bench unit in the free agency this summer. But owing to his injury, he has not been able to return to action and there’s even more delay to it now.
Vincent will be out for weeks to get surgery
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As per Shams Charania of the Atlantic, Vincent will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his ailing left knee as soon as Tuesday. Which means that he will miss out for 6 to 8 weeks.
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Vincent’s absence for weeks is a concern to the Lakers, as he was brought in to help spread the floor and be a 3-point shooter. He inked a three-year, $33 million deal in this off-season. It’s a blow for him as he has yet to make any impact on the team. In so far his five games, he has averaged only 5.4 points and 3 assists over 25.4 minutes per game. Obviously, his health is the priority but going forward the franchise will have to make decisions ahead of the trade deadline given Vincent’s prolonged absence.
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Vincent played a
key role for the Miami Heat last season that helped him land a deal with the Lakers. He helped lead Maimi to win the Eastern Conference championship against the Boston Celtics. Vicent had a remarkable 15.8 points per game in the series. His outstanding performance came in game 4 where he landed 29 points to qualify for the finals. There are high expectations from him given his big contract with the Lakers. Injuries like his can be frustrating but for now, he is looking to break through to get healthy.WATCH THIS STORY: “He Passed That Sunday”: Shaquille O’Neal’s 66YO Buddy Reminisces the “Surreal” Moment When the World Lost NBA Legend, Kobe Bryant
After a few shaky weeks, the Lakers will try to keep up the momentum followed by defeating Oklahoma City. For the Christmas special game, they are set to go against the Boston Celtics tonight.