Luka Doncic is expected to miss the start of the next series if the Lakers move on, according to Shams Charania, who said Wednesday morning that the guard’s return still has no clear timetable. Charania added that Doncic, who has been out since the beginning of the month with a grade 2 hamstring strain, is “starting to ramp up a little bit more.”
Charania first said Tuesday night on that Doncic would be “out for the next series,” then softened that view Wednesday by saying the current expectation is only that he misses the start. The distinction matters because it applies only if Los Angeles advances past the first round and reaches the matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
That is as far as the timeline goes for now. The Lakers have been telling the public that the injury carries an indefinite element, and the latest update does little to change that. Doncic is doing more on the court, but he has not yet progressed to full scrimmages and workouts, which is the clearest sign that a return is still not imminent.
The update leaves the Lakers with a narrow path: win the opening series first, then wait to see whether Doncic is ready to join them. Until he reaches full live work, the luka doncic injury remains one of the biggest variables in the postseason picture.