Gabe Vincent underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Lakers. Vincent will be re-evaluated in eight weeks to see how far he has come.

Vincent appeared in the first four games of the season before missing the next 23 due to a left knee effusion. He made his season debut last week against the Chicago Bulls.

However, his knee swelled up again after the game, and he is now out for an extended period of time. Earlier this week, it was reported that the guard would undergo arthroscopic surgery, which would keep him out for a few months.

Vincent was the Lakers’ biggest offseason signing, coming off a run to the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat last year. He agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal to be L.A.’s mid-level exception.

After Dennis Schroder signed with the Toronto Raptors, Vincent was seen as someone who could either replicate his impact or simply be a better player for the backup guard position. The 27-year-old was expected to be an important part of head coach Darvin Ham’s defense, able to defend at the point of attack while also providing spacing by hitting 3-pointers.

Vincent averaged 5.4 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound, and 1.2 steals in five games with the team, shooting 37.5% from the field and 11.8% from three. This knee injury is an unfortunate circumstance for someone who was expected to play a significant role in the Lakers’ success this season.

Vincent’s return date could be as early as the beginning of March, depending on how his rehabilitation goes. The hope is that Vincent will be able to return and be crucial down the stretch for L.A., which may be trying to secure a playoff spot or make a last-second playoff push.

While this injury is upsetting, the Lakers have been healthy outside of Vincent, which means the team has the necessary replacements to fill the void while he recovers from surgery.

During Vincent’s absence, D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves will see the majority of the guard minutes, with Max Christie possibly getting another shot in the rotation.

Lakers’ Anthony Davis: ‘Continuously changing’ roles

Vincent was not the only player who had to sit out this season. Another player who missed significant time was Jarred Vanderbilt. In addition, players such as Rui Hachimura, Cam Reddish, and Taurean Prince all missed some games.

Injuries haven’t been kind to the Lakers, but they’ve had to figure it out, and certain players have had to step outside of their roles to fill in for those who were out. Anthony Davis believes that the team has struggled with the ‘constantly changing’ roles caused by injuries.