Gabe Vincent now has a life-changing contract after a playoff run with the Miami Heat.
The free agent guard joins the Los Angeles Lakers on a three-year, $33 million deal, Athletic’s Shams Charania reports. Vincent’s prior career earnings totaled $3.5 million over three more seasons with the Heat.
Vincent’s is one of several free agency deals the Lakers have also agreed to re-sign forward Rui Hachimura and added former Portland Trail Blazers forward Cam Reddish on Friday. by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Hachimura agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal to stay with the Lakers after his midseason trade to the Washington Wizards. Reddish joins Los Angeles on a minimum veteran contract.
Vincent lands in Los Angeles after a playoff in Miami. He joined the Heat in a limited role as an undrafted free agent during the 2019-20 season. His play eventually landed him a part-time starting role and a two-year, $3.48 million contract for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He made 34 starts in 68 regular season games last season, averaging 9.4 points, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 40.2% from the floor and 33.4 % at 3 points distance.
He increased his production and was a key contributor in Miami’s surprise run to the NBA Finals as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Vincent started Miami’s 22 playoff games, averaging 12.7 points, 3.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 40.2% from the field and 37.8% at 3 points on 6.1 attempts per game. His intense long-range efforts as well as those of his teammates were a big part of Miami’s playoff success.
Now he joins a Lakers team determined to dethrone NBA champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference. His playoff composure surely played a part in their decision to sign him.
Hachimura thrived in the playoffs with the Lakers on their journey to the Western Conference Finals. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in a bench role while shooting 55.7 percent from the field and 48.7 percent on 2.4 3-pointers per game in 16 playoff games.