Los Angeles Lakers basketball is back. The Lakers travel to Golden 1 Center to take on the Sacramento Kings for Monday’s preseason opener.
The Lakers have already built up major momentum as the new season gears up. From the sky-high vibes of last Monday’s media day to a hard-fought several days of training camp, the new-look Lakers are ready to start a new era of purple-and-gold basketball.
As is the case every year, fans wonder about the preseason availability of star players. Head coach JJ Redick briefly touched on how he plans to approach playing the regulars in the tune-up games, but nothing appears final yet.
Will Luka Doncic Suit Up for Lakers Tonight?
It has been six long months since Lakers fans saw their superstar take the court. No one wants to remember what happened that day, as L.A.’s season effectively ended with their two best players going down during the same game. The good news is that everyone is back and healthy.
Redick mentioned last week that Doncic will play preseason basketball, but according to Lakers reporter Khobi Price, how many of the five games Doncic plays is yet to be determined.
“It isn’t clear how many games Doncic will play during the preseason,” Price wrote for the California Post. “Last year, he played in two of the six preseason games, but that was coming off a summer in which he was with the Slovenian national team for the 2025 EuroBasket through August and September. After having his 2025-26 season end in early April due to a severe hamstring injury and not playing with the Slovenian national team this summer for the first time in several years, this is the longest stretch of time Doncic has gone without playing competitive basketball since he entered the NBA.”
However, Price also noted that Doncic could play more than usual because the Lakers have such a different roster compared to last season, and that, of course, only calls for more reps.
“Doncic typically plays 2-3 preseason games per year,” Price wrote. “Reaves played in four preseason exhibitions in both 2024 and 2025, but that was also when the Lakers were playing six preseason games. With a mostly new cast around them, getting the stars and role players acclimated with each other will become crucial, starting this week.”
Redick Dishes on Preseason
Last week, Redick confirmed that Doncic will get some burn this season.
“He’ll play,” Redick said before adding, “I don’t necessarily know what the historical stats are in this. I think the biggest thing for the preseason games is getting into a rhythm, finding some lineup balance, getting into shape and feeling good about yourself and the guys you’re playing with versus playing him 36 minutes and trying to win a game against another team’s G League team in the fourth quarter.”
The Lakers will need to exercise some caution with their superstar. Doncic has not played NBA basketball since the start of April. Although that means he is fresh after a long layoff, the 27-year-old, All-NBA First Team point guard is coming off a severe hamstring injury that sidelined him throughout last season’s playoffs.
Is Luka Doncic Playing Lakers vs. Kings Tonight? New Details Before Preseason