LOS ANGELES — In a devastating update just days before the NBA All-Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers have confirmed that superstar Luka Dončić will miss Thursday night’s marquee matchup against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, extending his absence to four straight games with a left hamstring strain.
The news, first reported by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin citing league sources, lands like a thunderbolt in Laker Nation. Dončić had been progressing in rehab and was initially expected to ramp up to five-on-five contact work this week, fueling hopes of a return against Dallas. Instead, the Lakers are taking no chances.
“He is still progressing in his rehab and hopes to be able to make an appearance in Sunday’s All-Star game,” McMenamin wrote on X.
The decision removes what was shaping up to be one of the most emotionally charged games of the season — Dončić returning to face the franchise that drafted him — and highlights the organization’s ultra-cautious approach with their new franchise cornerstone.
Cautious Tone from the Lakers
Before Tuesday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs, head coach JJ Redick offered only the briefest of updates: “Luka continues to progress.” He declined to provide any further details.
That guarded messaging marks a noticeable shift from earlier optimism. Earlier in the week, reports indicated Dončić had resumed running and was on track for contact work. Now, with Thursday’s game off the table, the timeline has grown murkier.
On Friday’s edition of Get Up, ESPN insider Brian Windhorst laid out the critical distinction that will decide Dončić’s near-term future:
“It really comes down to, is this a mild strain, a first-degree? If that’s the case, the All-Star break comes next week and he could be back without missing too many games. If it’s a more serious Grade 2, now you’ve got a bigger problem.”
While Redick has consistently described the injury as “mild,” Thursday will mark roughly one full week since Dončić went down — a significant checkpoint in hamstring recovery timelines.
Injury History Adds Extra Caution
The timing is especially concerning because this is uncharted territory for the 26-year-old. As McMenamin noted on SportsCenter Tuesday, Dončić has never dealt with a hamstring issue in his eight-year NBA career.
“Even though it’s considered a mild strain, he’s never really dealt with a hamstring issue before… so the rehab is new to him.”
Dončić suffered the injury late in the second quarter of the Lakers’ 119–115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers last Thursday. He was initially listed with left leg soreness before an MRI confirmed the hamstring strain.
Staggering Numbers and Mounting Absences
The impact on the Lakers cannot be overstated. Dončić currently leads the entire NBA in scoring at 32.8 points per game while adding 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds. He has already missed 11 games this season due to various leg-related injuries, and the Lakers are just 5-6 in those contests.
All-Star Status Now in Serious Doubt
Dončić was voted an All-Star starter for the sixth time in his career and, for the first time, finished as the league’s leading vote-getter with more than 3.4 million fan votes — a milestone he has openly said means a great deal to him.
“That’s meaningful to him, to be out there on the court to represent his fans,” McMenamin said.
Redick had previously acknowledged Dončić’s fierce desire to play: “I’ve been around him as a teammate and as a coach, and I know if he’s able to play, he plays. He wants to be in the All-Star Game.”
For now, however, the Lakers are clearly prioritizing the big picture. With the postseason race tightening, the organization appears determined to protect its superstar rather than risk a setback that could jeopardize a deep playoff run.
The next few days — and whether Dončić can suit up for Sunday’s All-Star Game in San Francisco — will be pivotal. For a Lakers team that bet big on Luka Dončić, every missed game feels like a bombshell.