When you sign a player to $165 million 3-year contract, it’s not to play second fiddle. Luka Doncic is expected to be the cornerstone of the Lakers‘ project as a 40-year-old LeBron James prepares to move on. We already have fans predicting Doncic to be the 2025-26 MVP after his body transformation. “Man, he looks incredible,” an NBA scout told DallasHoopsJournal. “He’s quicker and more explosive. He’s getting by people more easily. I think he’s on a mission, man.”

The new look Doncic was in full flow while playing with Slovenia, but received an unexpected setback in the 3rd quarter. Doncic was tracking back on defense as the Latvian player dribbled to the paint, but he lost his balance and crashed into his teammate, Gregor Hrovat. He limped off the game into the locker room only to shortly return after. Doncic even begged the coaching staff to get him back in the game, but fortunately for Lakers fans, the medical team kept him tight on the bench. 

Lakers management and fans would have been relieved when Marc Stein revealed the exact nature of the injury, writing, “Luka Dončić has been diagnosed with a right knee contusion, sources briefed on the situation tell @TheSteinLine, but the injury he sustained today with Slovenia’s national team is not believed to be serious.” 

A knee contusion means the injury is superficial without any structural damage, which would likely require rest and plenty of ice, and possibly anti-inflammatory treatment. Even with this diagnosis, the staff will likely monitor this injury before they kick off their EuroBasket campaign against Poland on August 29. Despite his injury in the friendly, a fiery Doncic still had enough fight left to unleash some heated words at the referees once the final buzzer sounded.

Doncic finished with 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 20 minutes of play as Slovenia fell 100-88 to Latvia. With Doncic on the floor, they were leading 52-50 in the first half, but Latvia and Doncic’s former teammate, Kristaps Porzingis, rallied to beat a Doncic-less Slovenia. Granted, it was just a friendly game and the result had little to no consequences, but Doncic was visibly frustrated and just couldn’t help it. 

Given Doncic’s rocky history with officials, this outburst looks even worse, especially since he admitted last year, “I just really want to win.” Before further saying, “Sometimes I don’t show it the right way, but at the end of the day, I really want to win. I’ve got to do a better job showing it a different way.” 

Even with that, the innate will to win remains despite some restraint. Doncic wants to compete. His current physique showcases exactly that. He changed his diet and workout routine this summer and lost 31 pounds in total. “This summer was just a little bit different, you know. It kind of motivated me to be even better. Just visually, I would say my whole body looks better.” Doncic told Men’s Health. Knowing Doncic, he would want to come back as soon as possible, but can Slovenia afford to rest him if possible?

Will Doncic Sit Out the EuroBasket Group Stage?

Luka Doncic is entering his first season as the face of the Lakers franchise. Most of the fans believe his commitment to the NBA is a bigger one than to his country for the EuroBasket. However, Slovenia is a dark horse for this tournament with countries like France, Serbia, and Germany.  

Doncic is committed to playing for Slovenia at the EuroBasket as it’s their second most important tournament. Slovenia coach Aleksander Sekulic was convinced Doncic’s mentality is locked in exactly where it needs to be. He said earlier this week, “The most important thing is that Luka is very motivated, that he came to do something nice with the national team, and that he can then be ready to enter the new season.”

After snagging Rookie of the Year in 2018-19, Doncic rattled off five straight First-Team All-NBA selections. But last season, injuries took their toll, costing him 32 games and snapping his All-NBA streak. His 50 appearances in 2024-25 marked a career low for the superstar. So managing his workload will be important for Slovenia in this tournament and for the Lakers in the coming season. His will to win while caring for his injury could clash when it comes to the EuroBasket group stage games. Even while it’s not anything serious, the fans in LA are panicking seeing the scare. 

They fear, an even more serious injury could be on the cards if he plays all the games. Doncic already sat out two of the past games, and more could follow. It really depends on just how much pain he is in the next few days. They have a mild group with Poland, France, Belgium, Iceland, and Israel. Those are some manageable games, bar France, and they could go for a minutes restriction in the easier matches. The Lakers fans and Rob Pelinka will hope for no further injury scares because their 2026 season basically hinges on Doncic.