Luka Dončić has been a leading topic of conversation around the NBA ever since he arrived in the 2018 Draft, but this year has thrust him further into the spotlight after the Mavericks made the shocking decision to trade him to the Lakers ahead of the deadline.
After the trade, reports surfaced that the Mavs were unhappy with his conditioning, and Dončić seemingly took those comments as motivation to get in good shape this summer. That includes playing for Slovenia this summer in EuroBasket, and on Saturday, the slimmed-down Dončić was in action against Kristaps Porzingis and Latvia in a warm-up exhibition.
Dončić had it rolling out of the gates, scoring 15 points in the first quarter as he cooked the Latvia defense and had his 3-point shot dialed in, putting his full talents on display in the early going.
Dončić finished the first half with 26 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 17 minutes of action. He might not play much of the second half after that showing, given it’s just a friendly with another two weeks to go before the tournament begins.
It doesn’t seem as though he needs to shake off much rust, as he had it all working on Saturday, and Lakers fans have to be thrilled with how the suddenly slender Dončić looks on the court here.
That said, no one enjoyed seeing Dončić limp off the floor after a teammate landed on him under the basket, and hopefully it’s just a minor knock that won’t cause him to miss much time.
Dončić limped off the court and was able to walk on his own into the locker room. He did not return to action on Saturday. Dončić avoided serious injury on the play, according to The Athletic.
Dončić has a history of various injuries, particularly to his left leg, including calf strains and contusions, as well as ankle and knee issues. He missed a month last season with a left calf strain ahead of the Lakers’ postseason run.
