Gabe Vincent Injury: Lakers apparently opt for knee surgery for guard with longer recovery timeline

Gabe Vincent of the LA Lakers only played five games this season before going down with a left knee injury. Vincent was diagnosed with an effusion on his knee, and there's no timetable for his recovery. Two months into his ordeal, Vincent and the Lakers opted for a knee surgery that could keep him out for a longer time.

The Lakers announced on Wednesday that Vincent underwent arthroscopic surgery in his left knee. It was performed by Dr. Kristofer J. Jones at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

The 27-year-old point guard was ruled out for at least eight weeks, which means he won't be able to return until late February or early March. It's a tough blow for the Lakers, as they don't have enough depth at the position this season.

Dr. Evan Jeffries, an injury analyst for Fox Sports, gave his take on Vincent's injury. Jeffries explained that Vincent could miss an additional one to two weeks because of a build-up period before getting back on the court.

The doctor added that Vincent went with a meniscus repair rather than a meniscectomy, which is the complete removal of the meniscus or a part of it that's torn.

It's also called a "snip," which has a shorter recovery timeline. Players who opt to have the meniscus repaired have a longer recovery period but have better long-term prognosis.

Dwyane Wade had his meniscus removed from his left knee in his sophomore year in Marquette, which caused some major issues late in his career. Russell Westbrook had his meniscus repaired, and he remains explosive even at his age.

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Gabe Vincent played one game in December before opting for surgery

Gabe Vincent defending DeMar DeRozan in his return from injury.

Gabe Vincent was cleared to return on Dec. 20 against the Chicago Bulls after almost two months out of action. Vincent played 14 minutes, registering three points, one rebound and three assists. He went on to miss the next three games before opting to go under the knife.

It's a huge blow for Gabe Vincent and the Lakers, given the lack of depth at point guard. LeBron James recently started as the primary PG after coach Darvin Ham benched D'Angelo Russell.

Austin Reaves can also play the point, but he's more of a scorer than a playmaker. The plan was for James to take it easy in the regular season and limit his minutes, but he's averaging 34.3 minutes per game.

The Lakers don't have a lot of options unless a point guard becomes available via trade or the buyout market.

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