Lakers fans, it’s finally happening! Luka Dončić is set to make his preseason debut against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The 26-year-old guard has been sitting out so far as the Lakers wanted him fully recovered after his busy summer playing for Slovenia in EuroBasket. As the Los Angeles Lakers face the Phoenix Suns tonight, they’ll be eager to forget that 103-81 loss, and who better to help than Luka Dončić?

But there’s a small heartbreak on the horizon, not for Lakers fans, but for those back in Dallas. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin dropped the update that’ll sting for Mavs loyalists, saying, “It stands to reason if he hasn’t played up to this point, he’s not going to play tomorrow night in the second night of back-to-back against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers have a home preseason game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Expect to see Luka then.”

So, no reunion game against his old squad just yet. Dallas fans will have to wait a little longer, while Lakers fans can celebrate that they’ll get to see Luka light it up at home before the regular season begins. The last time Luka Dončić played in Dallas was nothing short of emotional back in April.

With tears still visible in his eyes, he went on to drop 45 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. He got some big help from LeBron James in the second half, who added 27 points and 7 rebounds to seal the deal. The game, emotional for both Dallas fans and Luka himself, saw him tie his Lakers career high of 45 points while helping the team clinch their playoff spot.

“I was like, there’s no way I’m playing this game,” Dončić said. “So many moments, and I just went out there and just played basketball,” he said during that matchup. But this time, he might spare himself those heavy emotions since he won’t be facing his former team. Still, it makes you wonder: why play against the Suns after sitting out nearly the entire preseason? What changed their mind?

First, LeBron James is sidelined for about 3–4 weeks and will miss the start of the season. That means the Lakers are turning to their next star: Luka Dončić. As JJ Redick said, “At the end of the day, our mentality needs to be next man up.”

With only three preseason games left, the Lakers want their superstar to find his rhythm before the real action begins. The strategy with Doncic on the court? Simple. “Give him the ball,” laughed Redick. 

Dončić is expected to play limited minutes as part of a slow ramp-up before the regular season. Secondly, the Lakers want the team to click together. Dončić had mentioned that he wanted to play in a couple of preseason games to build chemistry with his teammates before the season kicks off on October 21.

Luka Dončić was in the headlines this offseason for his stellar play in EuroBasket and the physical transformation he underwent. Watching him face Dallas and Cooper Flagg would have been the perfect way to hype fans for the regular season.

But there’s no need to worry, it’s just preseason. The real action is still ahead, and we’ll see Dončić go up against his old team soon enough.

Preseason lineup updates and key injuries for the Lakers

ESPN Insider updated who won’t be playing against the Suns. “Also tonight, there’s going to be no Gabe Vincent, no Jaxson Hayes, no Jared Vanderbilt,” he said. Rui Hachimura will also be sitting out.

No injuries were reported, so these players are expected to rest on Tuesday and be ready for Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks in Las Vegas. And it makes sense. Back-to-back games in the preseason aren’t ideal, so the Lakers are managing it by giving some players a break.

There are other players sidelined due to injuries. This includes LeBron James, obviously, because of his sciatica, as well as Maxi Kleber, Chris Mañon, and Adou Thiero. Kleber looks close to returning after missing time with a quad issue, while the Lakers are taking it easy with Mañon and Thiero, being cautious because of their early-career injuries.

Dave also gave a sneak peek into the Lakers’ season opener against the Warriors next week. “Some lineup experimentation. You will see Marcus Smart making his preseason debut tonight with the Lakers. He’s going to be in the 20 to 25 minute range. And again, still very much a work in progress for this group as they try to get their best product on the court opening night against the Warriors,” he said.

Joining Smart will be Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, and others. This will give JJ Redick his first real chance to see a potential starting lineup take shape during the preseason.