Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will be out versus the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center on Sunday night. Here’s why the 26-year-old was ruled inactive and if the former third overall pick will return this preseason.
Luka Doncic Out vs. Golden State Warriors
Fans looking for a star-studded roster would have to wait another day. The Lakers dropped their first preseason game, 103-81, against the Phoenix Suns at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California, on Friday night. However, LeBron James and Luka Doncic were absent from Friday night’s matchup.
James, 40, is still dealing with a nerve issue as he looks to begin his 23rd NBA season, but Doncic has been dealt with just as cautiously. His recent involvement in the EuroBasket tournament was the primary reason. The former Dallas Mavericks star won’t be active on Sunday night either.
Luka Doncic’s Outlook
The Los Angeles Lakers appear not to rush Luka Doncic back into the lineup. Lakers head coach JJ Redick recently spoke about the Lakers’ plan for him and whether this includes his possible appearance in the postseason.”We’re gonna use next week to continue to just get him in a good spot, with his body and his energy and all that stuff,” Redick said.
“He was great the first two days at camp; it was a lot. It made sense, given his workload this summer, to just kind of pull back. He’s in a great physical and mental state. We’ll just continue to use next week to get him ramped up and get all the guys acclimated with him.”
Final Thoughts
JJ Redick appears to be hopeful that Luka Doncic will play in the preseason and get some action in before his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He last played with the team on September 10 in the EuroBasket quarterfinals.
Doncic is also coming off a tumultuous season, marked by an in-season trade, reportedly due to the Dallas Mavericks’ hesitancy about offering him a supermax contract.
