"He fits in well": JJ Redick and Luka Doncic make feelings clear on Lakers' $33,000,000 fifth starter

JJ Redick and Luka Doncic were on board with Gabe Vincent's selection as the LA Lakers' fifth starter ahead of opening night. LA ran the lineup on Friday against the Sacramento Kings to close the 2025 NBA preseason. The veteran guard, who is in the final season of his three-year $33,0000,000 contract with LA, came into his own over the past few games.

On offense against the Kings, Vincent had 14 points and two assists, shooting 5 of 6, including 4 of 5 from 3. On defense, Vincent guarded Zach LaVine, the Kings' best offensive player. He limited the former All-Star to 15 points on 4 of 11 shooting, despite it being a mismatch as LaVine is four inches taller than him.

Vincent's shooting and point-of-attack defense are some of the things that stood out for Redick and Doncic.

"There's a lot of shooting around Luka and DA (Deandre Ayton) and Gabe [Vincent] is another ball-handler, another tough defender," Redick said after Friday's game. "He fits in well."

Doncic said:

"Always liked playing with Gabe. His shooting is gonna help us a lot. You know, we have that connection."

JJ Redick clarified that Gabe Vincent is their fifth starter on Tuesday's opening night against the Warriors only. He could switch things based on the Lakers' other opponents, so the position is not Vincent's to hold beyond the first game.

It makes sense to start Vincent against the Warriors because he can chase Steph Curry around, allowing Luka Doncic to hide as a helper. Jarred Vanderbilt has been excellent against Curry in the past, but his lack of offense hinders his value on the other end, unlike Vincent.

Marcus Smart emerges as notable candidate for JJ Redick to consider as the Lakers' fifth starter

Marcus Smart has emerged as a contender for the fifth starter's spot for the Lakers. He impressed in his second preseason game on Friday. After attempting zero shots in his first outing on Tuesday against the Suns, Smart had 11 attempts and made five against Sacramento, finishing with 14 points off the bench.

He added three rebounds, two assists and four steals. Smart is a more natural point guard than Gabe Vincent. While only two inches taller, he's stronger and can hang better with bigger players compared to Vincent. Smart is an overall better defender, which gives him the edge over most candidates for the fifth starter's spot.

His health issues ruled him out as a potential candidate. However, with how good he looked on Friday, JJ Redick might need to consider Marcus Smart for the role after opening night.