Is Luka Doncic Playing Tonight? Latest Status for Lakers-Kings Preseason Game

Find out the latest on Luka Doncic’s status for the NBA preseason game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings.

by Ayomide Adeduyite

Oct 5, 2026

Luka Doncic

William Liang-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers begin their preseason schedule Monday night against the Sacramento Kings, with plenty of attention on Luka Doncic as the team enters a new era without LeBron James.

Los Angeles went 53-29 last season, finished fourth in the Western Conference and reached the conference semifinals before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Doncic was at the center of that success, averaging 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 64 regular-season games while winning his second scoring title and earning First Team All-NBA honors.

Luka Doncic Will Play in Lakers-Kings Preseason Game

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77).

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Doncic will play preseason games, according to Lakers’ head coach JJ Redick (h/t Edwin Garcia of Swish Appeal). The six-time All-Star was seen practicing before Monday’s game against Sacramento and is expected to suit up. However, his workload remains uncertain as of this writing.

Redick specifically noted last Wednesday that the Lakers won’t need Doncic to play 36 minutes to win preseason games.

Doncic has not played in an NBA game since the beginning of April after a severe hamstring injury ended his 2025-26 postseason.

Monday’s game therefore gives Lakers fans an opportunity to see their franchise player back in live NBA action.

Lakers Enter Post-LeBron Era With Revamped Roster

This season marks the Lakers’ first without James since 2017-18. James departed for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, leaving Doncic as the team’s unquestioned leader.

The Lakers responded by surrounding Doncic and Austin Reaves with a much different supporting cast. GM Rob Pelinka added Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Matisse Thybulle this offseason.

Kessler is expected to strengthen the frontcourt, while Grimes, Sexton and Hardy provide additional perimeter scoring. Looney, Mamukelashvili and Thybulle add more size, defense and versatility.

Only eight players are returning from last season’s roster, and those players accounted for just 42% of the team’s regular-season minutes in 2025-26. Redick will therefore use the preseason to establish roles and determine which combinations work best around Doncic.

The Purple and Gold is aiming higher after winning 53 games and reaching the Western Conference semifinals last season. The Lakers want to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2023 and capture their first NBA title since 2020. Doncic’s health will be key to those aspirations.