After an eventful offseason filled with speculation and excitement, Luka Doncic has yet to step onto the court for the Los Angeles Lakers in preseason action. Fans have eagerly awaited his debut, especially after the team’s new-look roster and the ongoing absence of LeBron James, who has also been sidelined. However, a recent insider report has finally provided clarity on when Doncic will make his much-anticipated appearance.
Lakers fans finally get the update they’ve been waiting for
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Doncic is set to play his first preseason game against the Phoenix Suns.
“Luka Doncic plans to play Tuesday in Phoenix against the Suns, a source told ESPN. It will be Doncic’s preseason debut,” McMenamin reported on X (formerly Twitter).
Head coach JJ Redick also confirmed that Doncic is expected to feature in two of the Lakers’ final three preseason games, ensuring the star guard gets some court time before the regular season tips off.
Why Luka Doncic has been sidelined so far
Unlike LeBron James, who has been managing an injury, Doncic’s absence hasn’t been due to health issues. Instead, the 26-year-old guard has been resting following a grueling summer schedule that included leading Slovenia at the 2025 EuroBasket tournament and a month-long training commitment.
McMenamin’s report highlighted this reason, stating that:
“Doncic sat out L.A.’s 1-2 start to the preseason, with the Lakers looking to lessen the 26-year-old star’s workload coming off his monthlong commitment playing for the Slovenian national team in EuroBasket.”
Luka Doncic, who also signed a lucrative contract extension and underwent a notable fitness transformation during the offseason, has been managing his workload carefully under Redick’s direction.
What to expect from Doncic’s return
While fans may be eager to see Doncic play full minutes, Coach Redick has made it clear that the superstar’s preseason appearances will be limited. The plan is to ease him back into competitive rhythm with a gradual increase in playing time.
“I would say there will most likely be a ramp-up from Game 1 to Game 2 in Luka’s minutes,” Redick said. “What that total number looks like, we’re still talking to (the trainer) and Luka about what kind of makes sense.”
The Lakers have three preseason games remaining — against the Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and Sacramento Kings — and Redick indicated that Luka Doncic will likely play against Phoenix and one of the other two teams.
“Redick said that Doncic would also play in either the Mavs or Kings game,” McMenamin wrote. “It stands to reason that the Kings game would be more likely, considering the Mavs game falls on the second night of a back-to-back.”
Though he was traded to the Lakers midway through last season, Doncic quickly became one of the team’s most dynamic and reliable performers.