The next era of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball could start as soon as Saturday, when coach JJ Redick says that Luka Doncic could debut for Purple & Gold.
Doncic participated in his first practice with the Lakers since he joined the team in an impressive trade with Dallas last weekend. The Slovenian superstar had not played for the Mavericks since he tightened with his left calf on Christmas day.
Doncic will not play when the Lakers open a three -game farm against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, but the NBA score champion last season has a good opportunity to return when the Lakers receive the Indiana Pacers the Saturday or the Jazz of Utah on Monday night.
“We are only evaluating it day by day,” said Redick. 'We hope to have it back in the next games. We have just had a contact without contact today, but we have a good job for about 45 minutes, and he will have a game that remains at some point during the next two days.
“You will have some more opportunities to play live basketball, and then we will make a decision on Saturday,” he added. 'If it's not Saturday, I hope it's Monday. (But) those decisions will be made on Saturday.
The NBA stations were paying attention: shortly after Redick spoke, ESPN announced that he would televise the Pacers Lakers game on Saturday, hitting a Jazz-Suns game.
Doncic observed from the bank on Tuesday while LeBron James led a 122-97 victory over the clips
From the left, Los Angeles striker Lakers Rui hashimura, the guards, Bronny James and Luka Doncic react at the bank during the victory on Tuesday night over the rivals of Los Angeles Clippers
Doncic observed from the bank in Intuit Dome on Tuesday night, while LeBron James directed a 122-97 burst of the clippers for the ninth victory of the Lakers in 11 games.
James is still familiar with the trade of Anthony Davis, his close friend and teammate for 5 1/2 years, but he already seemed excited to form a new association with Doncic, his self -written NBA favorite player.
Doncic participated in work 5 against 5 in his first practice of the Lakers. He finished training on the court, talking with Redick, James, the assistant coach Scott Brooks and striker Dorian Finney-Smith, who was Doncic teammate in Dallas for 4 seasons. Finney-Smith joined the Lakers shortly after Christmas in an exchange with Brooklyn.
“Although I do not like the way things went down, I feel that I should definitely have obtained that money, but I am happy that I am on my side now,” said Finney -Smith.
Finney-Smith also laughed at the concerns of the MAVs reported on the conditioning and weight of Doncic.
“I know him (Y) wants to play the whole game,” said Finney-Smith. 'I think as if playing 40 minutes every game the last playoffs. That is a thing about LD. He wants to play. I really don't look at the noise. I look at your production. If I am putting that type of numbers, it may be 270 (pounds).
Doncic did not press for an exchange, according to the computer environment of the NBA Marc Stein. Rather, Stein reports, the two parties headed towards that extent of five years and $ 345 million until Saturday. And as the sources have since revealed Tim Macmahon from ESPN, the MAVs' had important concerns about advancing with Luka Doncic due to their constant conditioning problems. “
The Los Angeles Lakers Guard, Luka Doncic, walks towards the court before Tuesday's game in Los Angeles
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, a fan reacted to see Anthony Davis instead of Luka Doncic
Unfortunately for Doncic, it is no longer eligible for that extension, according to former general manager of Brooklyn Nets and the current salary capital analyst ESPN Bobby Marks. In addition, Doncic and its salary of $ 43 million now range from Texas, where there is no State Income Tax, to California, where rates can reach 12.3 percent. For now, it is still signed during the 2025-26 season and has a player option for 2026-27.
Every time Doncic returns to the court, Redick does not believe he has many problems to adapt to play with James in the schemes of the Lakers at both ends.
“The greatest learning curve is only the language,” said Redick. 'He knows basketball. He knows at a high level. We use many of the concepts used in Dallas, which many equipment use. We have not reinvented the wheel or anything. We are in a trend in the direction of playing really intelligent offensive basketball, and then adds to Luka, who is a SA supercomputer on the court, who can see everything and has seen each coverage, each defense, adds another layer safely '.
A 6 -foot and 8 -inch shipowner from Slovenia, Doncic guided the MAVs to the NBA finals along with Kyrie Irving last season, but has never shaken criticism about its conditioning. Even so, it ended third in the MVP vote last season and is still considered among the best offensive talents of the game.
Doncic, who has played professionally in Spain, is currently committed to the girlfriend Anamria Goltes for a long time. Son of SASA Doncic, basketball coach and former player, and Mirjam Poterbin, former model and hall owner, Luka has $ 152 million in professional profits.