If there’s anyone who is having a busy schedule and an increase in responsibility, it is Luka Doncic without a doubt. He is the most talked-about Laker so far this offseason. Firstly, it was due to his remarkable weight loss transformation, and then he had a grueling yet fulfilling summer for his native Slovenia, scoring over 30 points per game in the Eurobasket. Now, the Lakers Nation is expecting to see Doncic in action tonight against the Phoenix Suns in a preseason battle.

But if reports from insiders are to be believed, Doncic is set to miss out on tonight’s action against the Phoenix Suns. Not just that, he is also expected to miss Sunday’s much-awaited clash against the Warriors. Even NBA Insider Khobi Price reported, “Lakers say Luka Doncic will not play in this weekend’s preseason games (tonight vs. Suns; Sunday at Warriors). The decision was a collaborative one with the team’s performance after Luka’s EuroBasket run with Slovenia this summer.”

It seems like after hooping throughout the summer and going through extensive workouts, the 26-year-old superstar is taking things slowly ahead of what is supposed to be a crucial regular season campaign for the Lakers. This offseason, while other players were enjoying a relaxing summer, Doncic was hustling on the court for his home country of Slovenia at the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket. He not only led his nation to the playoffs, but Luka also played significant minutes throughout the competition.

In fact, he was the best player in the entire competition, proving the ESPN ranking wrong. Luka was ranked 3rd best, while Giannis Antetokounmpo was second, and Nikola Jokic was labeled as the most important player. The Slovenian guard averaged a competition-best 34.7 points along with 8.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists. So, it’s safe to say that Luka Doncic has proven his ability playing for Slovenia.

Interestingly, even Luka Doncic and Lakers head coach JJ Redick have admitted to the fact that he’ll be keeping things light during the training camp and the preseason, and that conditioning is very important for Luka Doncic ahead of this massive 2025-26 season.

Luka Doncic is taking things at his own pace at the Lakers training camp

And after such a packed offseason, it’s only right that the guard gets some much-needed rest before the actual campaign tips off later this month. More so, given that the Purple & Gold will be in much more need of his services during the business end of the season rather than in a preseason matchup against the Suns.

Even the five-time All-NBA guard has admitted that he is trying to avoid a complete burnout before the regular season begins. “Yeah, obviously, probably take it a little bit slower than the usual,” Doncic told local reporters after the third day at the Lakers’ camp. “I had a busy summer. I think month, month and a half I was with the national team. So, it was kind of a lot. But that got me ready for the preseason and obviously regular season. So, for me, I think it really helps.”

The last competitive game Luka Doncic played was against the eventual EuroBasket champions, Germany, in the quarterfinals, where he put up a staggering 39 points. However, now his focus is on the opening night clash against Stephen Curry and Co. On top of that, this is Luka Doncic’s first training camp with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nonetheless, even though Doncic might not be playing tonight, he’s been in constant touch with JJ Redick, as they hope to bounce back from last season’s embarrassment against the Minnesota Timberwolves. “Yeah, we just talked about today. It’s not just physical shape. It’s mental shape, too. So, that kind of goes both ways. Both are very important. We’re doing practice. It was great. Everybody’s in great shape. Everybody’s running a lot, so it’s been great so far,” Luka recalled.

So, if you’re worried that Luka Doncic is missing games even before the regular season, don’t be. That’s because even though we won’t be seeing him in action tonight, we can be assured that the superstar is practicing hard and will be available for his team once we enter the regular season. Or maybe even before that. Until then, you can focus on the other Lakers superstars and the new additions as they take on Phoenix tonight.