Doncic ready to debut in preseason with the Lakers
Luka Doncic will make his expected preseason debut when the Lakers face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, according to coach JJ Redick. Doncic did not participate in the first three preseason games for the Lakers, as the team seeks to moderate the workload of the 26-year-old star after his month-long commitment to the Slovenian national team in the EuroBasket. After the game against the Suns, the Lakers will complete their six-game preseason schedule with a game in Las Vegas against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday and a home game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Redick indicated that Doncic would also play in the game against the Mavericks or the Kings. The game against the Kings is likely the most feasible, given that the game against the Mavericks is played on the second night of a back-to-back. The coach will work with Doncic’s physical trainer, Javy Barrio, to determine how much time Doncic will play, but the Lakers will be cautious in Phoenix.When asked about how he planned to use Doncic, Redick responded sarcastically: “Give him the ball.” Marcus Smart, who has missed the first three preseason games due to Achilles tendinopathy, will also debut with the Lakers in Phoenix, according to Redick. The coach added that Austin Reaves will also play against the Suns. With the opening game against the Golden State Warriors just over a week away, Redick stated that he still needs to define his starting lineup. LeBron James will be out for at least two or three more weeks due to sciatica on his right side before being reevaluated. “You want to put your five best players on the court as much as possible. You also want to have balance in each lineup. When we do our substitution metrics: Who is going to defend? Who is going to create? Will we have enough shooting? So you do that with every lineup you put out, including the starting lineup,” Redick explained. “We’re still working on it, and obviously losing LeBron for the start of the year complicates things a bit. So, we have a week to figure it out, and I think it will reveal itself.”“I would say that the most likely scenario is a gradual increase in minutes for Luka between the first and second game,” Redick commented. “We are still talking with Javy and Luka about what the total amount makes sense.”
JJ Redick
