Since suffering a calf strain on Christmas Day’s game against the Timberwolves, Luka Doncic has been out of action. Fans were eager for his return, which was anticipated at Maverick’s home game against the Rockets on Saturday. However, in a shocking twist, Doncic was traded to the Lakers, leaving everyone stunned as his comeback was just around the corner.

In 2018, Luka debuted in the NBA with the Mavericks and since then he has been the face of his team. It was reported that he qualified for the supermax contract and was supposed to be the cornerstone of his team’s future. However, Luka’s injury issues have been a concern to Dallas. This season alone, he appeared in 22 games out of the 49 games Dallas has played so far.

This season Luka averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game. While he’s often played at an MVP level when healthy, his list of missed games continues to grow. He was mostly out due to ankle sprains, knee injuries and recently a calf strain. It’s clear that his injuries were something the Mavericks couldn’t ignore.

As ESPN’s Tim MacMahon pointed out, “The Mavs had major concerns about moving forward with Luka Doncic due to his constant conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension this summer.”

Luka Doncic’s injury history with the Mavericks

Luka Doncic’s injury record has been a point of discussion within his team for years. As of now, he has played for around 422 games with his team. During the course of 7 seasons in the NBA, Luka has been sidelined for around 91 times. He’s had a number of injuries but the most common were his knee problems and ankle issues.

It’s not just the number of injuries, but also how he’s been playing through them. Reports say he’s been getting pain injections, playing with all sorts of wraps and was often seen limping or dealing with ice packs on the bench. It’s become clear that staying healthy has been a challenge for him, and that’s something the Mavericks couldn’t ignore.

While the Mavericks were worried about Luka’s condition, it is speculated that there would have been some other reasons as well. The 25-year-old was eligible to sign a five-year, $345 million contract extension this summer. That much money given his injury concerns might have made his team a little hesitant to commit to him further.

So, what’s next for Luka in the Los Angeles Lakers? The Lakers have a lot of hope in his ability and fit into their system alongside LeBron James. If he can stay healthy, Doncic has the potential to form a lethal duo with LeBron. The Mavericks may have made the bold choice to move on from him, but for the Lakers, it’s a risk worth taking.