Luka Doncic’s first, very highly teased, preseason debut. We’re excited to see him on the court when the Los Angeles Lakers face off against the Phoenix Suns this Tuesday. The 26-year-old star has been unavailable throughout the Lakers’ sluggish 1-2 start to the preseason. After recently making noise by committing to join the Slovenian national team for EuroBasket this fall, managing Doncic’s workload is obviously a top priority for the team’s brass.
JJ Redick, the new head coach of the LA Lakers, just made the official announcement. Doncic has a shot to return for either that game against the Suns or immediately afterward in their next contest with the Sacramento Kings! Redick was particularly adamant that Doncic’s playing time needed to be closely managed. To start, he wants to work in tandem with Luka’s athletic trainer, Javy Barrio, to identify the optimal minutes for him, specifically where he fits on the court the most.
The Lakers are taking a cautious approach leading into their regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors, which is just over a week away. Redick highlighted the team’s strategic planning, saying, “You want to put your five best players on the court as much as possible. You want to have balance with every lineup.”
The Lakers are setting themselves up to be in a very important time of their preseason. Chief among those question marks is the fate of LeBron James’ longstanding health concerns. This means James will be out for at least the next two or three weeks. He is recovering from right side sciatica and will be reassessed post. This development further increases the importance of figuring out the best initial options for the team.
In terms of playing time, Redick indicated that Luka Doncic’s minutes will likely increase from Game 1 to Game 2, saying, “I would say there will most likely be a ramp-up from Game 1 to Game 2 in Luka’s minutes.” This methodical ramp-up is intended to make sure Doncic can make an impact without any re-injury risk.
As they look forward to their opening night against the Warriors, Redick remains focused on building a cohesive team. He alluded to the importance of smart lineups, especially in terms of defensive matchups and shooting.
“When we do our substitution metrics: Who is going to guard? Who is going to create? Are we going to have enough shooting? So you’re doing that with every lineup you put out there, including the starting lineup,” – JJ Redick
Leave a Reply