The Los Angeles Lakers may be getting an improved version of Luka Doncic when the 2025-26 NBA season begins. New photos are emerging of Doncic and Lakers fans are liking what they are seeing early in the offseason.
Doncic made an appearance at a Real Madrid basketball game, and the Lakers star looks noticeably slimmer. The guard wore a white shirt and blue pants as Doncic visited his former club.
“Who is this?” one fan joked implying Doncic looked much different than when the season ended.
“LUKA IS WORKING IN SILENCE 😭😭😭,” said another.
“I mean Luka Dončić visibly looks better and slimmer,” one person remarked.
“Is that slim Luka?” another asked.
“League is in trouble,” added one fan.
Luka Doncic’s Weight ‘Ballooned to the High 260s’ Prior to the Mavericks Trading the Star to Lakers: Report
The viral photos emerged months after multiple reports indicated that the Dallas Mavericks grew frustrated with Doncic’s lack of conditioning. This likely played a role in the Mavs’ decision to strike a surprising trade with the Lakers.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported after the trade that Doncic’s weight had ballooned to the “high 260s” during his time in Dallas.
“The Mavericks were motivated to move Doncic because of his constant conditioning concerns, sources told (ESPN’s Tim) MacMahon,” McMenamin wrote in a February 2, 2025, story titled, “Luka Doncic to Lakers, Anthony Davis to Mavs in 3-team trade.” “There had been significant frustration within the organization about Doncic’s lack of discipline regarding his diet and conditioning, which team sources considered a major factor in his injury issues.
“Though Doncic was relatively lean by his standards when he reported to camp, his weight ballooned to the high 260s early this season, sources said. He sat out five games in late November, when the Mavericks listed him with a sprained right wrist, an extended absence to allow Doncic to focus on his conditioning. He had a similar early-season layoff in the 2022-23 season.”
JJ Redick on Lakers’ Conditioning: ‘There’s Certainly Other Ones That Could Have Been in Better Shape’
After the Lakers were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs, head coach JJ Redick sent a clear directive to his players heading into the offseason. Redick did not mention Doncic by name, but fans were quick to react given the constant dialogue about the star’s conditioning.
“I’ll start with the offseason and the work that’s required in an offseason to be in championship shape,” Redick said, per ESPN. “And we have a ways to go as a roster. And certainly, there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape.
“There’s certainly other ones that could have been in better shape. That’s where my mind goes immediately is we have to get in championship shape.”
Doncic’s fiancee Anamaria Goltes recently garnered attention after posting a photo of a healthy dish featuring rice and vegetables. The Lakers star still has months to go before the next NBA season tips off, but the early indications are Los Angeles could witness an even more lethal version of the superstar.
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