The Los Angeles Lakers are set to start their preseason against the Phoenix Suns, but fans won’t get to see Luka Doncic on the court just yet.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the team has decided to hold back Doncic from playing during this weekend’s preseason action.
“Lakers say that Luka Doncic won’t play this weekend in the preseason. Coming off of EuroBasket run with Slovenia, team taking cautious approach,” Woike posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Along with Doncic, LeBron James and several others won’t be available for Friday’s game, as confirmed by ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin.
He noted that James (glute), Marcus Smart (Achilles tendinopathy), Maxi Kleber (quad), and Adou Thiero (knee) are all out for the matchup against Phoenix.
The Lakers are wisely opting for a cautious route heading into the regular season. Doncic has just come off a demanding summer playing for Slovenia in EuroBasket, making rest especially important before the new NBA campaign begins.
Though it’s likely that both Doncic and James will participate in some preseason games, their minutes will probably be limited as the team focuses on preserving their health.
Meanwhile, new additions like Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and rookie Jake LaRavia are expected to take advantage of this early opportunity to develop chemistry and integrate into the Lakers’ system.
Unlike last season, when Doncic arrived midyear via trade, this year he’s been able to attend a full training camp.
That extra preparation could be vital for the Lakers to hit the ground running when the regular season starts.
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