Home basketball LeBron: Lakers’ Vincent Needs Patience in Rehab

LeBron: Lakers’ Vincent Needs Patience in Rehab

basketball — 03/30/2024

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers high-fives Gabe Vincent #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Phoenix Suns on October 26, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Even though Gabe Vincent seems poised to make his return when the Los Angeles Lakers play the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, LeBron James is trying to keep expectations for the veteran guard in check after missing more than three months.

Speaking to reporters after the Lakers’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, James said Vincent “needs to take his time” and make sure he’s fully healthy because they don’t want to put any additional pressure on him.

LeBron James tempers expectations on Gabe Vincent’s return saying, “whenever he’s ready, we’ll welcome him back with open arms … but at the end of the day, we’re putting no pressure on him. So, he needs to take his time”

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on Thursday that Vincent was going to join the Lakers on their current road trip with the expectation he will be available against the Nets.

Vincent appeared in each of the first four games this season before being sidelined with a knee injury. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on Nov. 16 the 27-year-old had his knee drained and received a platelet-rich plasma treatment.

After making a brief return on Dec. 20 in which he played 14 minutes against the Chicago Bulls, Vincent had arthroscopic surgery seven days later and was going to be reevaluated by team doctors in eight weeks.

Head coach Darvin Ham told reporters on March 12 that Vincent was cleared for non-contact work. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha posted video from Lakers practice on March 15 of Vincent doing some on-court work.

James is probably correct to try downplaying things for Vincent, just to give him an opportunity to ease himself back into game shape.

It helps that the Lakers have been playing better of late. Even with Friday’s loss to the Pacers, they are 17-8 in 25 games since February 1. They currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference, but are only 1.5 games ahead of the Golden State Warriors.

The most important thing for the Lakers will be making sure Vincent can handle his normal workload for potential play-in and playoff games. He was averaging 28.4 minutes per game off the bench in his first four appearances of the season.

Vincent signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Lakers as a free agent last offseason. He spent the previous four years with the Miami Heat, averaging 7.7 points and 2.3 assists in 195 games.