After the Miami Heat’s miraculous run to the 2023 NBA Finals, it was time to make decisions about the return of some of their free agents. One of them was Gabe Vincent, who developed into an important starter at the point guard position that same season.

The Heat reportedly made an offer to acquire Vincent’s services, but he ultimately received a bigger deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. They signed the young guard to a three-year, $33 million contract – which seemed like a bargain given his previous experience in South Beach. He averaged 12.7 points, 3.5 assists and nearly one steal in 22 games during the 2023 postseason.

Vincent scored five games with 20+ points in these playoffs, including a career-high 29 points against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. He posted a true shooting percentage of 53.5% and the Heat outscored teams by 27 points in 30.5 minutes in his 22 games played.

The Lakers are nowhere near the version of Gabe Vincent who helped the Miami Heat reach the 2023 NBA Finals.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, they haven’t received anything close to this version of Vincent since his signing.

Last season was a disaster for the 28-year-old as he only played in eleven games due to a season of serious injuries. This year, he’s averaging a pedestrian 3.9 points on 34% shooting and 28% from 3-point range in 19 minutes.

Vincent was one of the Heat’s best examples of their storied development program. From an undrafted player, he worked his way up Miami’s rotation and into the starting lineup. His progress was good enough to relegate veteran Kyle Lowry to the bench at the time.

When it comes to finding the perfect target in the NBA, fit and role play a big role. And coach Erik Spoelstra was able to unlock many of Vincent’s skills as a high-energy two-way combo guard. He appreciated what he could bring to the table, something the Lakers’ staff didn’t show with such minimal opportunities and less commitment to him. It was obvious that Vincent was unable to gain a foothold in the Lakers’ rotation.

This is just another example of certain players who were unable to achieve the same success after leaving the Spoelstra system. This happened to guys like Hassan Whiteside, Kendrick Nunn, Justise Winslow, Rodney McGruder, Tyler Johnson and even Josh Richardson until he found his way back to the 305. Miami’s scouting department has proven that they will always have the next impact player ready for an opportunity, and that’s evident in the recent performance of Dru Smith.

Ultimately, money matters. Vincent preferred to take a slightly higher salary rather than stick with a perfect situation that he found himself in with the Heat. But his precipitous decline with the Lakers made Pat Riley and the front office look smart by letting him go.