LJUBLJANA — Luka Dončić told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated that he should not have played in the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers–Oklahoma City Thunder game on April 2.
The Lakers were down 31 points at halftime. Five minutes into the third quarter, Dončić pulled up with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and missed the rest of the regular season and the entire 2026 playoffs.
“When it comes to my spirit of trying to win, I am just stubborn,” Dončić said. “I felt a little bit in the first half that I should have just stopped. I should have come out. I think we had a team that could compete for the championship. I definitely regret it.”
The Lakers won 53 games last season. They were the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and Dončić led the NBA in points per game and total points in his first full season with the Purple and Gold.
LeBron James led the Lakers to a first-round playoff series win against the Houston Rockets in six games. Without Dončić, though, LAL was swept by Oklahoma City in the second round.
Austin Reaves missed Games 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Lakers-Rockets series due to a Grade 2 oblique strain. Like Dončić, Reaves got hurt against the Thunder on April 2.
Dončić Is Face Of Lakers With LeBron Gone
James, argubaly the greatest player in NBA history, left the Lakers in the offseason. The NBA legend signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
With James gone, Dončić is now the face of the Lakers.
“I just want to play basketball,” Dončić said. “Fame, that comes with it.”
The Lakers acquired Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks during the 2024-25 season. Dončić is averaging 31.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game in the regular season and 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in the playoffs with LAL.
After James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, told the Lakers that LeBron was not coming back, LAL acquired Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz and signed Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Collin Sexton, Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle in free agency.
“Probably everything,” Dončić said when Mannix asked him what parts of the Lakers’ roster overhaul had his fingerprints on it.
Pelinka Believes Luka Is ‘World’s Greatest Offensive Player’
Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters a few weeks ago that he believes Dončić is the best offensive player in the world.
Dončić averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game last season.
“Luka’s the world’s greatest offensive player,” Pelinka said. “And for us to be able to have an opportunity as a franchise to have that player in our building every night as a 26-year-old is special. And it requires us to do special things to put a team around him. And that’s what we started this summer. And we’re really, really happy with the way it’s looking so far.”
Dončić and the Lakers begin this season at home against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on October 21.
It will be fascinating to see how the Lakers do in Year 1 of the post-LeBron era.
