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When you think about the Miami Heat, the first word that comes to mind is “culture.” From Pat Riley running things in the front office to Erik Spoelstra continuing to set a standard every single day as the head coach, everyone in this organization understands their role and they all execute their roles to perfection, which has built one of the best cultures in the entire league. Gabe Vincent is not just a guard on Miami's roster, he is the definition of what it means to play for the Heat.
Going undrafted out of UC Santa Barbara in 2018, Vincent already entered the league with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. Now in his fourth season with the Heat, the 26-year-old guard is playing in his fourth playoffs and has Miami one win away from the 2023 NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler is the leader of this team and others like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry have held huge roles over the course of the season, but without Vincent, the Heat would not be in the position they are in.
The Heat entered the playoffs as the 8-seed in the Eastern Conference after securing a playoff spot via the Play-In Tournament. They took down the 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first-round of the playoffs, they defeated the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and they are now leading the 2-seeded Boston Celtics 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals following a massive Game 3 performance by Vincent.
On Sunday night, Vincent played 35 minutes in the starting lineup for the Heat and scored a game-high and career-high 29 points on 6-9 shooting from three-point range. This was arguably his best game ever in the NBA and for Vincent, this comes at a time where massive performances in the postseason may just earn you a few extra dollars in the offseason.
In the final year of his contract with the Heat, Vincent is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Given the fact that he has spent his entire career with the Heat and has become a key part of their success, it is hard to imagine that Miami will not want to re-sign Vincent, but they may face quite a bit of competition. He can start, he can come off the bench, he plays hard on both ends of the floor and Vincent is simply a leader for his teammates, which is why he will see plenty of interest in the offseason. Not to mention, Vincent is an extremely humble player who just wants the best for his team.
“We just played hard, we played good basketball,” Vincent said after his 29-point performance, via the Miami Heat. “Made the right passes, guys made shots. I was just lucky to be the beneficiaries of some of those. One day at a time, one game at a time. You know, we still have work to do. It's the first to four, not the first to three.”
Staying level-headed and keeping their minds locked in on the ultimate goal is what has made Miami such a juggernaut when it comes to the playoffs and Vincent is yet another example of this. It is never about him, he never tries to put himself in the spotlight and just based on his postgame remarks, it is clear to see having success as a team is all that matters.
Aside from stepping up during the regular season and becoming a starter in the backcourt for most of the season, Vincent has really become a vital part of Miami's success in the postseason. He's averaging 12.9 points per game on 38.0 percent three-point shooting in the playoffs and what he has done in three games against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals is stunning. In these three wins over Boston, Vincent has averaged 17.7 points per game on 60.7 percent shooting, from the floor, 55.6 percent from three-point range and 100.0 percent from the free-throw line. Should he continue to shoot lights out, he will become the first player in league history to average at least 15.0 points per game on 60-50-100 shooting splits in an Eastern Conference Finals series, according to StatMuse.
The new Collective Bargaining Agreement coming into play will obviously effect free agency and how much teams will be willing to spend, but the Heat cannot afford to lose a player like Vincent. He's been instrumental to their success this season and should they advance to the NBA Finals, he could very well prove to be an X-factor in them potentially winning a championship.
The Heat are not only on the verge of making the NBA Finals, but they are five wins away from capturing their fourth championship in team history. They may have finished the regular season on the brink of collapse, but this team has always believed in themselves and Vincent continues to be a leader for this organization on and off the court.
“We want to win. Our goal has never changed,” Vincent said. “Year in and year out, the Miami Heat are trying to compete for a title, and this year is no different.”
In an offseason where every team in the league will be looking for difference makers, Vincent surely sticks out as a free agent. Time will tell if he will remain with the Heat, but the only thing on Vincent's mind right now is being the best version of himself that he can be in order to help his team win a title.