.jpg)
1 hour ago
3
Jan 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The Los Angeles Lakers logo at midcourt at the Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Lakers second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder is already off to a rough start.
Los Angeles ended Tuesday night with a 108-90 loss to the formidable defending champions, placing them in an early 1-0 hole. The Lakers were without a notable contributor to begin the Western Conference Semifinals, as their 6-foot-6 standout point guard was inactive due to a hamstring injury.
As outlandish as it sounds, WWE legend Rick Flair believes the Lakers should entertain the idea of moving on from the former Dallas Mavericks superstar after his troubling injury woes.
“Luka (Doncic), Please Get In The Game,” Ric Flair wrote Tuesday. “Take A Shot Of Cortisone And Deal With The Pain! They Are Paying You 50 Million A Year, And You’re Not There! I Hope Jeanie Buss Trades You Next Year. Nobody Wants A Lame Duck On Their Team!”
Doncic’s hamstring setback isn’t the only one he’s dealt with this season. During the regular season, leg, groin, knee, finger, and ankle injuries caused him to miss several contests with Los Angeles.
Still, Doncic appeared in 64 games and averaged a career-best 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game, shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc. While it’s frustrating that the six-time All-Star is unable to assist his team during a critical portion of the year, trading him isn’t the answer.
The 27-year-old signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Lakers last summer, cementing him as Los Angeles' franchise point guard. Even if Doncic doesn’t appear in another game with the Lakers this season, that concept won't change anytime soon.
More NBA news:
English (US)