The Los Angeles Lakers hope to get Gabe Vincent back from knee surgery during their East Coast road trip. LeBron James, out of fairness, is tempering expectations.

“I really don't even want to get into it too much, don't want to put too much pressure on him,” LeBron said after the Lakers' 109-90 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. “When he's ready to go, it will be a bonus for our team. But he's been out for quite a while. So whenever he's ready, we'll welcome him with open arms as a brother of ours, teammate of ours.”

The Lakers (41-33) have been playing their best basketball as of late, but they could've at least used Vincent on Friday. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak.

The fatigued Lakers shot 5-of-30 from 3-point range, produced a stream of “boneless” turnovers (per Austin Reaves), and were routinely beaten in one-on-one situations. Vincent, at least when healthy and integrated, was signed last summer for $33 million to help in those departments.

Vincent, 27, has appeared in five games for the Lakers — four in October, then one right before Christmas. His left knee swelled up after that game and he promptly underwent surgery.

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said pregame on Friday that Vincent’s workload would be ramped up over the next few days. Vincent could be available for Sunday at the Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers then face the Toronto Raptors (4/2) and Washington Wizards (4/4).

Vincent would presumably take minutes from Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Reddish, and Max Christie, depending on his role and the acclimation process.

“We've been waiting on him, but at the end of the day, we put no pressure on him,” added LeBron. “Just take his time.”

Jarred Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is reportedly expected to return in early April. Vanderbilt, the Lakers' most versatile defender, has been out since Feb. 1 with a right foot sprain and has played a total of 29 games in 2023-24.

Of course, nothing is more important than the health of the stars. LeBron continues to manage ankle soreness. In Indiana, Anthony Davis tested out the left knee he hyperextended late in the Lakers' double-overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

“You could tell he was running a little gingerly,” said Ham. “My hat's off to him, Kid's a tro0per. He wanted to be there for his team, and he was. He gave all he could give, and that's why he is who he is. Because he cares.”

Davis posted 24 points and 15 rebounds in 38 minutes, but he didn't quite look like himself into the fourth quarter when the Lakers flirted with a comeback.

“It'll get better in a couple days,” said Davis. “Nothing serious. That's why I played tonight. Feel like I can play through it. It's nothing that I plan to miss any more games for or have to be on a minute restriction or thing of that nature.”

The Lakers (41-33) enter the weekend as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference — 1.5 games in between the Phoenix Suns (43-31) and the Golden State Warriors (39-34).