The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks made one of the biggest trades in NBA history on Saturday night when the Mavericks sent 25-year-old star guard Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick.
Now that the trade has been finalized, anticipation is building for each of the two superstars’ debuts. After Davis was ruled out for the Mavericks’ game on Tuesday night due to an abdominal strain, the Lakers confirmed Doncic’s status for their matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers after releasing the injury report.
As expected, Doncic has also been ruled out for the game. Despite ramping up his rehab and returning to practice, the expectation remains that his return will come before the Feb. 14 All-Star break. This means Doncic is likely to play in one of the next four games after Tuesday.
Lakers injury report for tomorrow pic.twitter.com/gS9KjadBSi
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) February 4, 2025
Maxi Kleber will also not make his debut as he continues to rehab a right foot fracture. However, Markieff Morris is not listed on the injury report, which means he is expected to be available and could potentially make his debut for the Lakers tomorrow night. The team will be shorthanded, though, as they look to maneuver without some key pieces in the lineup after parting with Davis and Christie.
Luka Doncic (77).
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Despite the absences, the Lakers showed their resilience on Saturday against the New York Knicks. Before the trade was made public, they left Madison Square Garden with a strong 128-112 victory without Davis, improving their record to 28-19. They remain in the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference, with the Clippers hot on their tail as the No. 6 seed heading into Tuesday night’s matchup.