The Los Angeles Lakers officially introduced Luka Doncic on Tuesday morning, ushering in a new era for the team that is meant to keep the franchise in contention for years to come.
Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka made the three-team trade happen behind the scenes with Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison in a historic transaction.
The Lakers now have Doncic to pair with LeBron James for the foreseeable future, as the 40-year-old superstar has given no indication that he wants to move on at this stage and is excited about the prospect of being teammates with a player he’s long raved about.
But just as Anthony Davis is not healthy at the time of the blockbuster trade, Doncic also is on the mend. Doncic has been out since Christmas, when he suffered a left calf strain that has now kept him sidelined for 19 games. He is no longer eligible for NBA awards this season, but is sure to be motivated upon returning.
When Doncic was still with the Mavericks, multiple reports suggested he was close to returning, and might have been able to do so before the All-Star break, but certainly after.
Rob Pelinka talks Luka Doncic Lakers debut
At Tuesday’s introductory press conference, Pelinka spoke about when Doncic might be able to take the floor for the first time since the Lakers’ trade, and what the process will be until then.
This plan includes Doncic’s individual medical team working directly with Lakers staff, and going through 5-on-5 work Wednesday. Pelinka deemed Doncic day-to-day.
Doncic was asked about his calf strain — something he’s suffered four times in his career — and spoke about why he’s not concerned about the injury moving forward.
“For the first time I took my time to get it to heal 100%,” Doncic explained. “Other times, I just wanted to get back on the court and not really be healthy 100%. This time I just took my time, which is a normal amount of time to get back to 100%.”
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