Luka Doncic Reportedly Plans to Make Lakers Preseason Debut vs. Suns on Tuesday
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić plans to make his preseason debut against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Head coach JJ Redick, per McMenamin, expects Dončić to play in two of the team's final three preseason games.
Dončić has yet to appear in any of Los Angeles' three preseason games.
The five-time All-Star was nursing a calf strain when the Dallas Mavericks traded him to Los Angeles. He watched three Lakers games from the sideline before debuting in purple and gold.
In 28 regular-season appearances with the Lakers last season, Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists. He also put up 30.2 points per game in the playoffs.
Los Angeles' exit in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves was a reality check in terms of how far the roster still needs to go, though, to make the franchise a title contender again. Dončić also received plenty of criticism for his defensive effort in the series, which has been a common refrain throughout his career.
From the moment the trade for Luka happened, most pointed out it was a long-term play for L.A. The team defense would get worse by swapping an elite rim protector in Anthony Davis for a player who's a net-negative defender. But the deal was too good to turn down, and going from the 32-year-old Davis to the 26-year-old Dončić significantly lengthened the runway to chase a championship.
When general manager Rob Pelinka has a full summer to fill out the supporting cast, winning a title is going to be the goal for the Lakers in 2025-26. To that end, it's critical for Dončić stay healthy and perform at an MVP-type level—especially with LeBron James set to miss the start of the season.
