Lakers’ Gabe Vincent expected to miss at least one week

The Lakers will be without Gabe Vincent again, and yes, it is starting to feel familiar.

Los Angeles announced that Vincent has been diagnosed with lower back tightness and will be reevaluated in roughly one week, as relayed by Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. That likely rules him out for at least the next three road games against the Jazz, Clippers, and Suns, with his status for the Christmas Day matchup against the Rockets very much uncertain.

Vincent joined the Lakers as a free agent in 2023 and spent most of his first season sidelined by a knee injury. This year has been better, though not without interruption. He carved out a steady role in the rotation and has appeared in 14 games, including six starts, averaging 4.7 points and 1.4 assists in 21.5 minutes per night. His shooting numbers have been respectable, checking in at .350 from the field, .362 from three, and a perfect mark at the line.

Still, availability continues to be the issue. This marks Vincent’s second extended absence of the season after he missed 11 straight games earlier due to a sprained ankle. The Lakers have managed around it before, but the timing is not ideal.

Austin Reaves remains out with a calf strain, leaving the Lakers thin in the backcourt. That means more responsibility for Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart, whether the coaching staff prefers it or not. Two-way guard Nick Smith Jr. is also a candidate for a larger role off the bench as the Lakers try to hold things together through a tricky stretch of the schedule.