The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off one of the biggest trades in NBA history by acquiring 26-year-old Luka Doncic. But questions about his shape and conditioning continue to follow him—especially now, with the LA Lakers trailing 1-3 in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves and facing elimination
During a recent Q&A session, Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha of The Athletic addressed concerns about Luka’s fitness.
“I don’t think it’s as much of a problem as some people do,” Buha said on his recent podcast. “I think people look at how he looks and then like to make certain projections on that. I think it has been a bit of an issue, I’m not saying it hasn’t been.
“I also think he probably needs more of an offseason just to get his body right coming off the calf injury and maybe not being in his typical or best shape this season,” he added. “For now, I would say it’s a slight concern. But longer term, we have to see how he bounces back this offseason.
In the Minnesota series, Doncic is averaging 30.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists through four games. He also battled a stomach bug in Game 3.
Looking back, Doncic’s fitness reportedly played a role in the Dallas Mavericks’ shocking decision to trade him in February for Anthony Davis.
Still, Luka has embraced the criticism as motivation. Many believe he should take inspiration from 40-year-old LeBron James—a conditioning machine—heading into the offseason.
Previously, Buha noted that most players don’t reach peak form during the season, and Doncic can still improve without needing a full summer of training.
But with the Lakers now on the brink, all eyes will be on Luka in Wednesday’s do-or-die Game 5 in Los Angeles.
