The Los Angeles Lakers have been very successful since the last midseason trades. Halfway through the previous season, the team had a complete reshuffle. It worked miracles for the LA side. They managed to make the postseason and even reached the Western Conference Finals. Hence, they had a pretty productive season last time. That’s why the front office wanted to keep the new core together for as long as possible. Moreover, they have been successful in doing that as well.
First of all, they retained the three crucial players on their roster – Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell. Later, they extended Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt’s contracts as well for long terms. The young Max Christie is back too from last year. But the curious and exciting part of the Lakers roster is the new additions. How much impact would they have on the team? For instance, Gabe Vincent who played for the Miami Heat last season.
Gabe Vincent Reveals That The Lakers Are Moving On In The Right Direction
The Heat was the runners-up that season. Both the Heat and the Lakers faced defeat at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in their last series of the previous season. The Nuggets blew the Lakers away in just four games. Moreover, the new champions blew the Heat in the Finals 4-1. Hence, Gabe Vincent’s move from the Heat to the Lakers won’t change his determination to beat the Nuggets in the new season. The LA side will meet the defending champions in the season opener on October 24. But before they get there, it is looking great for the LA side. Gabe Vincent is in fine form, as he played really well against the Sacramento Kings in the third game of the preseason for the Lakers.
At Anaheim’s Honda Center, Vincent scored 18 points. Gabe Vincent impressed everybody against the Kings as he successfully shot four three-pointers. Moreover, his 18 points were key in beating the Kings by a margin of eight points. Even Vincent said after the game that everything is going in the right direction for the team. Moreover, Vincent acknowledged the importance of preseason as it gets the players geared up for the big thing. Additionally, Vincent said the players are getting along well, and things are beginning to click for the team as a whole. But Vincent revealed that there is still room for improvement.
D’Lo Russell Turning Things Around In The Preseason
On the other hand, the player who’s making a lot of noise in the preseason for the Lakers is D’Angelo Russell. Just a few months ago, fans were questioning if D’Lo belonged to the LA roster. But in the training camp, he is putting up a show. D’Lo is proving exactly why he’s on the team. He’s scoring well, along with providing important assists.
Now, the question is, can D’Lo continue with the momentum even in the next season’s playoff stage? The top players of the Lakers, including LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves, didn’t play as Darvin Ham tried to tinker with the rotation. Tinkering is essential to get other players into the winning habit more than just a game habit.