Luka Doncic Travels from Spain to LA, But Won't Play

Luka Doncic is set to miss the start of the playoffs on Saturday when the Lakers host the Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference's opening round, though he will be with the Californian team. The Slovenian point guard returns to Los Angeles on Friday, having spent the last week in Spain receiving treatment for a Grade 2 left hamstring injury.

According to sources cited by Shams Charania of ESPN, the 27-year-old Doncic underwent multiple injections to treat the injury sustained on April 2nd in a game against the Thunder. The Lakers finished the regular season in 4th place (53 wins-29 losses), after being overtaken by the Nuggets (54 wins-28 losses) on the final day of the regular season, while the Rockets concluded the initial phase in 5th (52 wins-30 losses).

The LA squad has not yet set a return date for Doncic, only confirming that the six-time All-Star and league's leading scorer (averaging 33.5 points) would not play for the remainder of the regular season. A Grade 2 hamstring injury typically requires a recovery period of about one month.

In Luka Magic's absence, the Lakers posted a 3-2 record at the end of the season, a period during which the team also lost Austin Reaves, who suffered a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury in the same game against the Thunder. And, as with Doncic, there is no set date for his return.

Despite the significant absences, LeBron James was named Western Conference Player of the Week, averaging 24.0 points, 9.7 assists, and 6.0 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a positive record without their other two stars.

In addition to 33.5 points, Luka Doncic also averaged 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds, but he fell one game short of completing the minimum 65 games required to be eligible for regular season awards, especially MVP and All-NBA First Team, where he is among the top candidates and will be voted on before the playoffs begin. Miguel Candeias, from A BOLA, is part of a panel of 100 voters, mostly American journalists and commentators, annually invited by the League to decide the 10 awards to be given at the end of the initial phase, with only one dedicated to coaches: Coach of the Year.

Luka Doncic's agent, Bill Duffy, has already requested an exception from the NBA due to "special circumstances," arguing that two of his client's absences in December were due to a trip to Slovenia to attend the birth of his second daughter. It's worth noting that a player's inclusion in such distinctions allows them to command a higher salary cap in their next contract renewal than they otherwise would.