Following a crushing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Lakers lost much of their rotation when facing the Utah Jazz tonight. A prominent absence came in Austin Reaves, the third leading scorer for the Purple and Gold. Likewise, JJ Redick needed to find a replacement from the bench, one that ranks last in the league in terms of scoring. The choice was Gabe Vincent, and right on queue, the former Heat guard probably had his best game as a Laker.

Averaging just 2.8 points per game before tonight, the Lakers couldn’t afford another low-scoring night with Reaves unavailable. And so, in his first game as a starter this season, Vincent did something he has never done as a Laker. He has scored 10 points, his career-high in the regular season for the Purple and Gold.

For him personally, Redick and the Lakers will hope it’s an indicator of him breaking through the cold slump. Gabe Vincent did spend much of his time on the sidelines last season after a breakout campaign with the Heat. Before taking over, Redick too praised Vincent for his professionalism and consistency.

However, that’s been hard to come this season, with the supportive coach even calling him out for his limited shot attempts. Tonight, while his attempts stick at 5, Vincent has been efficient, missing only one shot. Furthermore, his two threes are also a season-high for the defensive-minded guard.

Lakers fans burn Rob Pelinka for his roster moves with Gabe Vincent at the spotlight

Given the possibility of this being LeBron James’ last season with the Lakers, a strong and steady supporting cast is key. Thus far, the Lakers have yet to achieve that standard. And with Vincent being one spearhead of the second unit, tonight’s performance had the Laker Nation questioning Rob Pelinka’s roster management.

“Gabe Vincent has 10 points in a game for the first time as a Laker. How is that even possible? Great signing by Rob Pelinka,” one fan wrote. In the revered GM’s defense, with the last few seasons with the Heat, Vincent was an integral part of their success. Averaging close to 10 points in his best season and playing suffocating defense, his attributes appealed to the Lakers.

Fans didn’t consider this. It is his first double-digit game that baffled the Laker Nation. In these twilight years for the LeBron-AD duo, they want them to have appropriate help to deliver another championship to LA. And for that, a call is becoming loud. “Trade immediately,” a fan mentioned.

Yet, the hard spell came when the 28-year-old had to sit out most of last season with an injury. Gabe Vincent only participated in 11 games toward the end of the season. It wasn’t enough for him to get into a rhythm. Furthermore, now under a new system with Redick, Vincent finds himself in a period of adjustment, once again.

There is a way to justify the slump the former Heat star is experiencing. On the other hand, to fans, what matters is the space he takes in the salary cap. On a $33 million contract, they felt Vincent’s move was another of Pelinka’s questionable maneuvers. A fan with such thoughts mentioned, “We are paying this dude 10 million. Add this to Pelinka resume.”

Every general manager has some decisions they would want to keep hidden in a vault. However, with Vincent, it wasn’t just Pelinka that sided with him. When he got the job, Redick was incredibly supportive of having Gabe Vincent at his hands, even saying “‘Man I wish I had 10 Gabe Vincents.’”.

With that said, the first-year head coach also urged Vincent to stay “aggressive”. Thus far, he has yet to apply that pressure on defenses, with his season-high being 8 attempts. And with it not being as efficient as Vincent’s capabilities, one fan made a twisted comparison.

“Gabe Vincent is like the Adult Version of Bronny James. Except without any of the hype,” they wrote. From his performance with the Miami Heat, Gabe Vincent recorded 16 games with 15 or more points in 2023. Even he must be itching to deliver on those expectations. However, it’s been challenging for Vincent in Los Angeles, only shooting 20.9% from three.

The Lakers would need someone special to take them over the line!