Lakers Adjust Lineup as Vincent Starts for Injured LeBron James

The Los Angeles Lakers faced the Sacramento Kings in their final preseason game on Friday, implementing a significant adjustment by starting Gabe Vincent in place of the injured LeBron James. This change serves as a preparatory move ahead of the regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors on October 24, 2023. Despite Vincent’s impressive performance, scoring 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting, the Lakers fell short, losing 117-116 to finish the preseason with a record of 1-5.

As the Lakers transition into the regular season, Coach JJ Redick emphasized the need to refine strategies during the remaining practices. “We have two more practices, so we need to clean up some things,” said Luka Doncic, who led all scorers with 31 points and added nine assists in thirty-three minutes of play.

Vincent learned of his starting role on Friday morning. His selection follows a standout performance against the Dallas Mavericks earlier in the week, where he scored 18 points in just four minutes, including five three-pointers. “I think I just bring what I’ve been doing since I’ve been here,” Vincent noted when discussing his role with the starting lineup. “Just defending, try to defend at a high level.”

James is not expected to return to action until mid-November due to ongoing recovery from sciatica. This absence has opened the door for Vincent, who will join Doncic, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and Rui Hachimura as they begin the 2025-26 NBA season. Redick indicated that while this lineup is set for the opener, changes may occur throughout the season due to injuries and matchups.

“I don’t know anything about who I’m going to be starting the rest of the season,” Redick stated. “I have a pretty good idea who’s going to start Game 1, after that, I don’t know.” He added that Vincent’s skills as a ball handler and defender complement the team’s existing talent.

Concerns about the Lakers’ defensive performance arose after allowing the Kings to score 59 points in the second half of the game, with the Kings shooting 54.7% overall and 44.8% from three-point range. “I think in practice we were more physical,” Doncic remarked. “We need to work on our physicality.”

The Lakers were missing key defensive player Jaxson Hayes for the second half due to a right wrist contusion sustained during a lob dunk. X-rays were negative, and further updates are expected following Sunday’s practice. In the meantime, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who contributed 14 points and four steals against Sacramento, expressed his commitment to enhancing the team’s physicality. “Just follow my lead,” Smart said. “I’m going to try to set the tone each and every night.”

As the Lakers prepare for the upcoming season, the spotlight will remain on how they adapt to personnel changes and address their defensive challenges. The season opener against the Warriors promises to be a crucial test for Redick and his team.