Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić suffered a knee injury during a recent EuroBasket exhibition game against Latvia. Fortunately, Luka avoided the worst-case scenario, suffering a right knee contusion; the injury is believed not to be serious. It has subsequently been reported that Luka will return to practice on Monday.
Luka Dončić has been diagnosed with a right knee contusion, sources briefed on the situation tell @TheSteinLine, but the injury he sustained today with Slovenia’s national team is not believed to be serious.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 16, 2025
While it's great to see that Luka avoided a serious injury, the Lakers might have to step in and pull Dončić out of EuroBasket. It's simply not worth playing in this tournament to risk further injury.
Sitting out of EuroBasket would be best for Luka and the Lakers
Undoubtedly, it's a massive honor to represent your country on the national stage. However, let's be honest, it's not the Olympics or even the FIBA World Cup. Sure, stars like Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo are playing in EuroBasket. But also, guys like Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert are opting not to play in EuroBasket to focus on the season ahead instead. Avoiding any injury or wear and tear is a smart move.
The upcoming season should be Luka's top priority, and it's in his best interest to withdraw from EuroBasket. At the very least, Luka needs to play a limited role. Unfortunately, knee injuries can be a recurring issue, and it's risky for Luka to play in EuroBasket. He missed over a month with a calf injury last season. While Luka has mostly been healthy for his career, he must avoid another injury after last year's injury-riddled campaign.
Luka has reportedly gotten into the best shape of his life this summer. On one hand, this might prevent him from getting another injury. However, why would Luka risk getting a freak injury to ruin the progress he's been working toward this summer? Luka also agreed to a three-year $165 million extension with the Lakers this summer.
From the Lakers' perspective, Luka holds the keys to their title hopes. The Lakers addressed their main need of a starting center by signing Deandre Ayton. With that, a full season of Luka and LeBron James still playing at a high level, the Lakers have a path to contention. Needless to say, none of that matters if Luka suffers a serious injury. When you have a chance to compete for a title, it's simply not worth risking this to play in an offseason tournament.
While there haven't been any rumors of the Lakers trying to stop Luka from playing in EuroBasket, don't be surprised if it comes to that. For both sides, Luka withdrawing from the tournament or playing a more limited role would be wise.