Los Angeles Lakers‘ top free agent signing Gabe Vincent was a limited participant during Friday’s practice ahead of their March 16 home game against the Golden State Warriors.

Vincent, who’s been out since December last year, did non-contact drills.

According to Lakers coach Darvin Ham, Vincent and their other injured players — Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood and Cam Reddish — remain “status quo” which means they are still out.

“[An official update from the Lakers] should come out soon though,” Ham told reporters after Friday’s practice, per Clutchpoints’ Michael Corvo.

The hope is Vincent returns before the postseason.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on “Run It Back” on FanDuel TV on March 5 that “barring any setbacks, it’s still mid to late March that he can get back in the lineup.”

After Lakers practice on Friday, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on X, formerly Twitter, on March 15 that “the final step in Vincent’s return process will be getting his conditioning back.”

Vincent was penciled to compete for the Lakers starting point guard spot with D’Angelo Russell when he signed a $33 million, three-year contract in the offseason as a free agent. But injuries have limited the 27-year-old guard to only five games so far, averaging 5.0 points, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals.

Vincent underwent a successful arthroscopic knee surgery on December 27 last year.

The Lakers targeted him in the offseason following his stellar play for the Miami Heat who reached the NBA Finals last season. Vincent averaged 12.7 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 38% from the 3-point range for the Heat in last year’s playoffs.

Dennis Schröder Calls D’Angelo Russell ‘Immature’

Dennis Schröder did not mince words as he slammed Russell’s comments, insinuating that Lakers coach Darvin Ham favored the longtime veteran during last year’s Western Conference Finals.

“I don’t understand it,” Schröder told New York Post’s Brian Lewis. “But at the end of the day, it just shows off immaturity. You’re not really mature if you’re just keeping somebody’s name in his mouth and just running it. I don’t understand.”

Russell blamed Schröder’s presence as a hindrance to Ham cultivating a relationship with Russell, who struggled in the first three games of the Western Conference Finals which led to his benching.

“[Schröder’s] relationship with Darvin is the reason I couldn’t have a relationship with Darvin,” Russell told ESPN in a feature story that came out on March 13.

“When I was struggling, I would’ve been able to come to the coach and say, ‘Bro, this is what we should do. Like, I can help you.’ Instead, there was no dialogue. … I just accepted it.

Russell, who was initially reluctant to return this season, opted for a 1+1 deal after Schröder signed with the Toronto Raptors in the offseason. The Raptors shipped Schröder to the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline after they acquired Immanuel Quickley.

3-time NBA Champion Predicts Lakers-Nuggets WCF Rematch

Three-time NBA champion and current Chicago Bulls announcer Stacey King made a bold prediction: the ninth-place Lakers will again reach the Western Conference Finals against the defending champion Denver Nuggets for the second straight season.

“Here’s gonna be a surprise for you,” King told his broadcast partner during the Bulls-Los Angeles Clippers game on Thursday, March 14. “Denver’s gonna be in the Western Conference Finals [against] the Lakers.”

King believes the Lakers play their best when the lights are bright.