The Los Angeles Lakers wasted no time in bringing in Gabe Vincent via NBA Free agency. The former Miami Heat guard was one of their first signings as soon as the window opened and it was clear that they really wanted to get him to LA. This came down to a three-year deal for the 6-foot-3 point guard that will see him pocket a whopping $33 million.

As it turns out, this is the main reason why Vincent picked the Lakers over the Heat. In a recent interview on JJ Redick's The Old Man & The Three podcast, Vincent explained why he ended up choosing to leave Miami. He has nothing but love and appreciation for his time with the Heat, but unsurprisingly, he just had to make the most financially sound decision for himself and his family.

“Yeah, first of all, I don't think it was easy,” Vincent said. “Like you said, Miami was the team that gave me an opportunity. I grew while there. We had some great runs while I was there. So it wasn't easy and I don't think it's any secret, I was pretty open about willing to go back and wanting to go back, and my love for the organization, I think it was pretty reciprocated. 

“But when it came down to it, business got in the way, and there were certain points that the Heat could only get to and other teams were able to get to more. It just kind of made more sense at the end of the day. And business played a role but also just situations, et cetera. So LA was the play and we're looking forward to the future a little bit.”

Gabe Vincent also admitted that the fact that he was born and raised in California played a major role in his decision.

“It's awesome,” Vincent continued. “I mean, at the end of the day, I'm coming back home to the West Coast. My family overall will be able to come to more games. That's exciting. A storied franchise at the end of the day. You grew up in California. You know about the Lakers and if you know about the NBA, you know about the Lakers. So that's exciting.

“… I went to school two hours away in Santa Barbara, so I'm very familiar with the area. It's not like I'm moving somewhere I've never been before or I got to deal with snow. I've never dealt with snow before, so the transition I think will be a little bit easier lifestyle wise and the opportunities on the court are immense. So I'm looking forward to it.”

At the end of the day, it was just a perfect scenario for Vincent. He just could not pass up the opportunity to play for the Lakers, especially considering how they were willing to pay him more money than the Heat could afford.