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A highly regarded free agent signing this past summer, Gabe Vincent has only made five appearances in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform this season.
Even within those five games, he struggled to get cooking on offense, averaging just five points per game on 11% from three-point range.
Gabe Vincent is expected to be out for one more month, per @JakeLFischer
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2024
“Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, who’s become included in Los Angeles’ outgoing trade conversations, sources said, appears on track to return by early March. Vincent underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left… pic.twitter.com/kzRBiTrNPY
Being expected to miss another month definitely hurts his trade value, as given that his name is regularly being brought up in talks, his value goes down tremendously under the pretext that he could miss significant time.
If he isn't moved, this remains an issue for the Lakers, who still have no backup point guard. And, taking a look at their current asset collection, most trade ideas suggest that it's not feasible to procure a backup point guard unless they deal D'Angelo Russell – who is the current starting point guard – therefore not actually solving the issue.
LA has survived this long without a backup PG, but entering the back-half of the season without one is risky. D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves have been particularly healthy thus far, with Russell only missing 4 games while Reaves is yet to sit.
Without Russell, however, the team is an alarming 0-4, implying that they need him (or at least some point guard) out there. The team's margin for error is incredibly small, and Vincent's injury doesn't help.
More must-reads:
- Spurs risk roster issues with De'Aaron Fox extension
- Lakers insider updates LeBron James' immediate future
- The 'NBA playoff point-per-game leaders' quiz
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Lakers insider updates LeBron James' immediate future
LeBron James wasn't present at Luka Doncic's contract extension news conference. That doesn't necessarily mean anything, and he's more than entitled to some time off the clock just like everybody else. However, given all that has been said about his future with the Los Angeles Lakers, it didn't take long before people speculated whether there was something else going on. The Athletic's Dan Woike reports that there's nothing to it. "James has not asked for a trade or a contract buyout, team and league sources have said. He’ll turn 41 on Dec. 30," wrote Woike. James' agent and friend, Rich Paul, also made it loud and clear that he hasn't even talked about potentially leaving the Lakers, and while he still doesn't know if he'll re-sign with them or will continue to play beyond this season, that's a bridge they'll cross when they get there. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka also shut down rumors by pointing out that he's been in constant talks with James and his camp. “Yeah, so all the interactions we’ve had with LeBron and his camp, Rich (Paul) in particular, have been positive and supportive. So very professional and Rich has been great,” Pelinka said. “The dialogue with him has been open and constant.” The Lakers are doing the right thing by pivoting towards their younger star. Whether this will be the end of the line for James in Southern California remains to be seen.
Justin Fields Called 'Biggest Loser' In Jets Training Camp
The New York Jets opted to cut Aaron Rodgers and sign Justin Fields to replace him during the offseason. This kind of commitment to Fields should bolster his confidence, but it could also place a lot of pressure on his shoulders. To this point, Fields has looked solid in training camp, aside from a scary toe injury that was quickly resolved in July. Justin Fried of the Jet Press recently reported that Fields' training camp may have reached a new low over the weekend as the young signal caller struggled. "Justin Fields put together his best practice of the summer to this point on Friday, completing his first 12 passes en route to an excellent all-around performance. The same can't be said about his showing on Saturday, however," Fried wrote. "Fields finished the day an abysmal 2-of-10 in the air, including a drop from rookie tight end Mason Taylor. "Some of his incompletions were catchable balls, but the Jets' passing game struggles on Saturday can largely be blamed on No. 7. Fields did flash his running ability with a 25-yard rushing score on the first play of red-zone drills, but the Jets would like to see more consistency in the air from the starting quarterback. Saturday's scrimmage was far from his best showing of the summer." Fields is a runner first at the NFL level, but his arm is nothing to scoff at. For most of training camp, his arm talent has been better than advertised, but during Saturday's scrimmage, it just wasn't there. A 2 for 10 performance is unacceptable for a $40 million quarterback who was signed to take over the team. The running game should open up the passing game for the Jets, which is going to need to be the case if Fields is going to struggle like this. However, it's just one day of camp. It's nothing to be too concerned about. Just because Fields lost this specific practice doesn't mean he's heading in the wrong direction as a whole.
Michael Hage’s Dominance Clear at World Juniors Showcase
The World Junior Showcase showed the dominance of multiple Montreal Canadiens prospects this past week. After discussing Koivu’s play in the mini tournament earlier today, it is now time for a discussion on the 21st overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Michael Hage. Much like his Finnish counterpart, the Canadian forward Hage stood out from his teammates throughout the showcase. Hage, who is arguably a top 3 prospect within the Montreal Canadiens pipeline, put on a show that should help him secure a role within Canada’s 2026 World Juniors team. The fact that he proved to be one of the best players for Canada this past week shows that not even getting an invite to the team’s final selection camp, despite a very strong freshman season at the University of Michigan, seemed silly, as even last year, he likely should have had a shot at making the team. Now that he managed to score a goal in all 4 games that he played for Canada at the World Juniors Showcase, there is almost no way that Canada can leave him off the roster. One of the most memorable moments throughout the whole tournament for Hage was definitely when he was in a scrum, mixing it up with his former Canadiens Development camp roommate, Aatos Koivu, as previously mentioned in my article from earlier today. Another amazing moment in that game was Hage’s goal, where he completely deked around the Finland goalie to put the puck in the net. It will be interesting to see where in the Canada lineup Hage will land, as a lot of notable names such as Michael Misa, Beckett Sennecke, and Tij Iginla did not play at the showcase. The good news is that the first two names may end up playing in the NHL, allowing a spot higher in the lineup for Hage. Another thing that will work well in Hage’s favour is that he is very versatile and can play on the wing or at centre for Canada. His coach even praised his “hard skills” for Canada during those four games he played. After watching Hage’s play over the last year, one thing is clear: he could be a play driver on whatever line he plays on for Canada. His game also seems like it will translate well at the pro level. Many may say that Hage must play a top 6 role for Canada, but the fact that he can play an aggressive style and has a strong defensive game could mean that he is also able to play in a bottom-six role if need be. The truth is it would be unlikely he would have to be on the bottom 6, but if the guys mentioned above aren’t in the NHL and are instead on the team, there is a chance that it could happen. This upcoming season with the Michigan Wolverines should be a big one where Hage could find his way in the Hobey Baker conversation if he improves on his 13 goals and 34 points in 33 games. The first half of the season will be telling for his place with Hockey Canada, whereas the 2nd half could also help him earn some time at the pro level. The way Hage has played since being drafted, it feels more like it’s more about when he’ll play for the Canadiens in a regular-season game, rather than if he will. Will Hage prove that he’s ready to play at the pro level this year at Michigan?
Cleveland Browns Undrafted Rookie RB Turning Heads During Training Camp
The Cleveland Browns backfield continues to be a work-in-progress during training camp. The Browns made multiple additions in the draft to improve at running back but one major standout was added following the three-day event. Ahmani Marshall, an undrafted rookie out of Appalachian State, has caught the attention of the team during camp, especially as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Browns' insider Matt Wilson mentioned Marshall on Saturday following practice. "RB Ahmani Marshall has been a standout…in the passing game. He’s been great catching the ball out of the backfield in all sorts of route combos. It’s not often that you see a back of his size (6’1″, 225 lbs.) be so consistent as a pass-catcher."Matt Wilson, Dawgs By Nature Marshall began his career at Wake Forest before transferring to App State for his final three years. In 2024, Marshall turned in his best season with career highs across the board. He carried the ball 149 times for 713 yards and seven touchdowns. Quinshon Judkins' availability remains a question mark during training camp. Fellow rookie Dylan Sampson has gained the attention of the coaching staff and others thanks to his burst. The Browns also recently got Jerome Ford back on the field. Sampson is another rookie that has shown his ability throughout training camp. Judkins' situation remains up in the air but when on the field, he has a chance to be producitve as well. If the Browns want to carry three rookies in the backfield, Marshall is an intriguing option.
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