Bench Savior Arrives? Vincent Claims Improving Health and Aims to Boost Lakers’ Three-Point Shooting and Defense

August 14 news, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to welcome a strong helper off the bench for the new season.

A little earlier, Gabe Vincent mentioned in an interview that he has been recuperating throughout the offseason and currently feels good.

Vincent said: “The past season was truly a frustrating one, constantly struggling with injuries, but ultimately surgery was needed. Although I did make a comeback towards the end of the season, it was really unfortunate. This offseason has provided ample time for recovery, and I am looking forward to the arrival of the new season.”

In addition, Vincent acknowledged that his poor performance last season was due not only to injuries but also other factors, such as joining a new team, playing under a different head coach, and adapting to a different offensive system, which complicated his return after recovering from injury.

Statistics show that from early November last year to late March, he only played in one game. When he returned before the regular season ended, his form was out of sync, and although he received some significant playing time, his contributions were minimal.

More than a year ago, Vincent was a key contributor to the Miami Heat’s unexpected entry into the 2023 NBA Finals. Therefore, he could possibly help the Lakers in the upcoming season through strong defense, fighting for loose balls, and occasionally hitting outside shots.

If all goes well, new head coach JJ Redick might be able to utilize him as a key player off the bench. Over the past five NBA seasons, despite having only one season where his three-point shooting percentage exceeded 34%, he had a high three-point shooting percentage of 37.8% during the 2023 playoffs, with a considerable number of attempts.