Update: Lakers Bad News on Luka Doncic Keeps Coming on Many Fronts After All-Star Break

Lebron James and Luka Doncic

“The Trade,” and NBA fans and media now call it — the one that sent 31-year-old Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for 25-year-old, five-time first-team All-NBA shooting guard Luka Dončić, who became a Los Angeles Laker, has so far not worked out terrifically for either team.

Playing just one game in Dallas, Davis suffered an adductor injury — the type of injury once referred to as a “groin pull” — that is now expected to keep him sidelined for “multiple weeks,” with no target date for a return in sight.

On the Los Angeles side of the deal, Dončić continues to struggle with a left calf strain that kept him sidelined for 27 of the Maverick’s 49 games before he was traded.

The 2018-2019 NBA Rookie of the Year continued to sit out, missing his first three games as a Laker before seeing action against the Utah Jazz in a two-game series on February 10 and 12. But Dončić played just 23 minutes in each of those games.

More Bad News For Lakers About Prized New Acquisition

Now, more bad news for the Lakers as they have announced that Dončić will miss at least one more game despite coming out of a week’s worth of down time.

Dončić for the first time since his rookie year was not named an All-Star. He seemed to enjoy his vacation, posting a picture on social media that appeared to show him watching All-Star game action on a laptop computer, as he relaxed poolside at an unidentified resort.

Though it looks as if he should be well-rested when the Lakers face the Charlotte Hornets at home on Wednesday, the team now says he will miss either that contest, or the game the following night when the Lakers travel to Portland, Oregon, to face the Trail Blazers.

“The Lakers have kept Dončić under 25 minutes in his first two games in purple and gold and are expected to persist with a measured approach as the 25-year-old progresses in his comeback after missing his final 19 games as a Maverick with a left calf strain sustained on Christmas Day,” NBA insider Marc Stein wrote in his Monday newsletter.

When the Lakers will get the full benefit of Dončić’s presence alongside Lebron James remains up in the air.

And now, in yet more bad news, after James pulled out of Sunday’s All-Star competition at the last minute citing “ankle and foot discomfort,” according to correspondent Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, “some around the NBA say they’ve been led to believe the issue isn’t exactly minor.”

James’ injury raises the disturbing possibility that the Lakers could be without both James and Dončić for multiple games.

But a report by The Athletic on Tuesday brought even more disheartening news for the Lakers, implying that in trading Davis for Dončić, Los Angeles may have been inheriting a problem that Dallas was simply sick of dealing with.

Dončić Reportedly Takes Lax Approach to Conditioning

The report revealed that one of the possible reasons for the prolonged Dončić absences is that the Ljubljana, Slovenia, native fails to properly care for his physical body.

The Athletic reported that the Mavericks had grown frustrated with “Dončić’s conditioning and off-court habits.”

In one instance, in November, the Mavs sat their mercurial, young superstar for five straight games with what was listed as a “right wrist sprain.”

However, according to the publication, “that injury classification was not entirely true. In reality, Dončić was supposed to use time off to improve his conditioning, team sources said.”

Eventually, Mavericks officials became so concerned “that Dončić’s body would break down possibly sooner than anyone would suspect” that they decided they must “move on from someone who could still one day be a league MVP.”

So they shipped Dončić to Los Angeles, where his lax approach to conditioning becomes the Lakers’ problem now.

Related Posts

BREAKING: No blockbuster, no desperation. The Lakers’ most realistic trade package for Keon Ellis has been revealed, signaling a measured approach instead of an all-in gamble. Now the question is whether it’s enough.

Kings Open to Moving Keon Ellis as Lakers Seek Versatility for Playoff Push Sacramento Kings management understands that they are unlikely to receive a premium draft haul…

Breaking!! The Lakers are predicted to move an $18M misfit and a former first-round pick in a bold trade proposal. In return, Los Angeles would land a highly coveted $5M asset from the Kings, signaling a clear shift from sunk cost to fit and flexibility. The imbalance in salary only makes the potential move more intriguing.

Lakers Target Keon Ellis as Trade Deadline Nears, Eyeing Win-Now Move for LeBron James The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves firmly in the thick of the Western…

Labor Day (2013) –🚨 OMBSHELL STRANGER IN DISTRESS — depressed single mom Adele and her son Henry pick up a wounded, fearsome man, only to uncover his dark story as police hunt him down. What begins as a simple act of kindness spirals into suspense, danger, and impossible choices..ll 👇👇👇

Labor Day, released in 2013, is a poignant drama film directed by Jason Reitman and based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard. The story unfolds over the course of a Labor Day weekend, centering around a reclusive single mother, Adele, and her son, Henry.

BAY AREA BREAKDOWN: Warriors crush the Bulls in a statement win that exposes a shocking trend hiding beneath the box score, raising brutal questions about who’s rising and who’s falling apart. One thing’s crystal clear—this shift could reshape the entire season..ll

A shorthanded Warriors squad dominated the Bulls on the road, revealing a surprising trend that could shape their season.

How to Watch Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves — Live from San Francisco on December 13, 2025..ll

Fans won’t want to miss the showdown at Chase Center as the Golden State Warriors host the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 13, 2025. With both teams battling…

Warriors vs. Timberwolves in San Francisco — Form, Head-to-Head & Key Storylines Ahead of Dec. 13, 2025..ll

Warriors vs. Timberwolves in San Francisco — Form, Head-to-Head & Key Storylines Ahead of Dec. 13, 2025 On December 13, 2025, Chase Center will heat up as…