There is no doubt that the Los Angeles Lakers have a very solid roster, but it could be much better. LeBron James wants to end his career on a high note with a team that is truly contending for an NBA Finals appearance.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
If the Lakers want to be true contenders, they will need to make meaningful additions at the trade deadline. One name to watch as a potential trade piece is Gabe Vincent.
“The Los Angeles Lakers will be active and aggressive ahead of the trade deadline, and Gabe Vincent’s play all but guarantees that he will be sent out in whatever deal Rob Pelinka makes. The guard is shooting under 40 percent from the field, and the Lakers have an abysmal 120.8 defensive rating with Vincent on the floor. He has played in just seven of the first 18 games, but Los Angeles fans know what to expect at this point,” Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts wrote.
While Vincent has been given plenty of opportunities and has struggled to stay healthy, his latest injury further proves that the Lakers will need to extract some value from him, as remaining on the court has become a major challenge.
“Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent has been diagnosed with lower back tightness. Vincent will be re-evaluated in approximately one week, the team says,” The Athletic’s Dan Woike posted.
Vincent has been consistently inconsistent in the rotation, largely due to recurring injuries. He is not the player the Lakers expected when they signed him, and it appears time for both sides to move on.
At this point, it is a tricky situation to determine how much value he could bring to any of the other 31 teams in the league. However, the Lakers should no longer include him in their plans beyond the trade deadline.