The Los Angeles Lakers have held some of their best players out of their first two preseason games of the new NBA campaign. Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Marcus Smart didn’t play in either contest, and of course, James will continue to sit out for a few weeks due to a case of sciatica. Austin Reaves also sat out their second preseason game last Sunday.
But Doncic, unlike James, is fully healthy, and he was presumably held out of both games because he participated in EuroBasket 2025 over the summer. The Lakers have four exhibition games left, starting with Sunday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors, and coach JJ Redick said Doncic will take part in two of them.
This will give fans and pundits their first glimpse of the new and improved Doncic after he got into much better physical shape a couple of months ago. He averaged 34.7 points a game for his native Slovenia during EuroBasket 2025, and with James out, he could very well continue to put up big numbers.
Last season, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists a game after being traded to Los Angeles despite being fat, out of shape and a bit hobbled following a calf injury he suffered on Christmas Day.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: JJ Redick reveals how much Luka Doncic will play in preseason
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
