The Luka Dončić trade might go down as one of the most shocking moves in NBA history. However, his life with the Los Angeles Lakers is now getting underway, and fans are wondering when their franchise cornerstone’s debut will take place.
We bring you the latest on Dončić and his availability against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, Feb. 8.
What Is Luka Dončić’s Injury?
Before he got unceremoniously shipped off to L.A., Dončić had been nursing a calf injury he suffered on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The lengthy layoff has made him ineligible for any awards this year. Nevertheless, as he said in his introductory press conference, the Slovenian is looking to come back fully healthy this time.
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“For the first time, I took my time. Get it to heal 100%. Other times, I think I just wanted to get back on the court and playing basketball and not really be healthy 100%. This time, I just took my time, which was a normal amount of time, to get back to 100%.”
Similar calf issues have persisted throughout Dončić’s career, with the former Dallas Mavericks guard missing time in the preseason and even during the 2022 NBA playoffs due to injury concerns.
Yet, there is some good news for Lakers fans. His time on the shelf is nearing its end.
When Is Dončić Returning?
During the same press conference, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka detailed the timeline for his newest acquisition’s return.
“We have 5-on-5 scheduled tomorrow for Luka, and we’re going to take it one day at a time just to make sure that the calf injury is at a good and safe place. So I would truly say, at this point, he’s day-to-day. We’re going to take it one step at a time. But if all those days go well and Luka feels good and confident, he’ll be in a game soon.”
Since then, the Lakers have played two more games, one against their in-city rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the other against the in-state Golden State Warriors. During the broadcast against the Clippers, sideline reporter Jared Greenberg mentioned that the expectation around the team was that Dončić’s debut could come on Saturday, Feb. 8, against the Indiana Pacers.
ESPN even shifted games around to ensure they could air the historic moment. However, there has been a slight setback in the timeline. Before the Lakers took the court against Golden State, head coach JJ Redick spoke about the Slovenian guard’s availability and how the 5-on-5 workout progressed.
“It went well,” Redick said. “I think probably more likely Monday, [Feb. 10]. We have no commitment made on anything, but probably trending more toward Monday. No setbacks. He looked good yesterday. Got another workout in today, got a lift in today so all is well.
“All is positive, and hopefully we get the word at some point in the next few days that he is going to play. We all wanna see him in a Laker uniform.”
Now, the official injury report from Los Angeles has ruled Dončić out for Saturday’s home game against Indiana. However, the belief within the organization, as reputed Lakers reporter Marc Stein suggested, is that Monday, Feb. 10 against the Utah Jazz might shape up as the perfect date.
How Does Dončić Impact the Los Angeles Lakers?
A five-time All-Star and first-team All-NBA selection at just 25, Dončić theoretically has the entirety of his career ahead of him. There is a real possibility that he will spend the rest of it with the Lakers, making them instant contenders for the next decade-plus.
But even in the short term, with the addition of Mark Williams to the lineup, the Lakers are treating this season as a priority. If the team can gel together quickly, rising from the No. 5 seed might not take much time.
On the season, Dončić is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game.
