Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Are the Lakers and Luka Dončić Less Healthy Than They're Letting On?

Episode Date: October 9, 2025

The Lakers are deep into their second week of training camp, creeping towards the opener on the 21st. LeBron James (nerve issue in his glute) hasn't practiced. And now Luka Dončić seems to be more limited now than he was last week. Luka missed the two preseason games the Lakers played last weekend, and has been a limited participant in practice since. Last week, Dončić was -- reportedly at least -- a participant in everything the Lakers were doing on the floor. That's not a good sign. Lakers fans are starting to see a lot of teams displaying the important work of critical preseason practices. They're wondering if the team simply isn't serious enough about the preseason. But is the more appropriate worry that they're not healthy enough to put in the type of grind fans would prefer to see? LeBron has gone from hopefully participating in a one of the four remaining preseason games to hopefully being ready for the regular season opener. And now Dončić is going the wrong way. It's been so disjointed that when asked what it's like to work with Luka and LeBron, new center Deandre Ayton said he doesn't know, because it hasn't happened yet. That's... not good. So are they unserious? Or more untruthful? At some point, if Luka isn't on the floor, the Lakers are going to need to provide an explanation of some sort. One person likely to get an explanation ... from a judge? The fellow who sued LeBron after James revealed that the big Decision 2.0 was just an ad for cognac as opposed to some sort of retirement announcement. Making the tickets he purchased for the home regular season finale at the Crypt against Utah just a regular old game, one in which it's very possible LeBron won't even play. The dude says he's out hundreds of bucks, and that LeBron is responsible. Good luck with that.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian KamenetzkySEGMENT 1: Luka's still not playing this week? SEGMENT 2: Are the Lakers being honest about their collective health? SEGMENT 3: Lawsuit!!! Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!QuoSee why over 90,000 businesses trust Quo, formerly OpenPhone. Get started free and get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.Quo.com/LOCKEDONNBA.PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use codeLOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBAPelotonLet yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com. Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearFanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.comto get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey, everyone, welcome to Lockdown Lakers for Thursday, Brian Kamenetsky, Andy Kamenetsky. After some confusing comments from DeAndre Aiton, Lakers fans are left with a really important question. Is Luca Donchich healthy? That's next. You are Locked on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks to everybody for making Lockdown Lakers. First listen to every day, Monday through Friday, no matter how or where you get your podcast.

This one's always going to be free. It's never going to be behind a paywall and you can hang out on Locked on Lakers on YouTube. We're over 36,000 subscribers, Andy, are all getting a little nervous because we are getting a little deeper into the preseason. We are in the thick of week two, this big long week where the Lakers are between preseason games and they were supposed to be getting a lot of work done together, building chemistry, building continuity. and that is happening because their best players aren't on the floor. And it's a little confusing. The situation with LeBron and his preseason availability, that has been covered and discussed a lot,

including on our recent shows, Shamsarania reporting on ESPN earlier in the week, that for the time being, the expectation seems to be that LeBron will not participate in any the preseason games with the hope that he will be available for the October 21st regular season opener against the Warriors. Obviously not ideal. We've gone through all of the reasons why this, to some respect, cuts out the legs of

training camp in terms of everything that you want to try to accomplish. But it doesn't necessarily mean that nothing can be done or nothing can be installed. like hell, JJ Reddick during Wednesday's practice talked about how there were some new installs on both sides of the balls. So they are looking. Doing stuff. However, DeAndre Aiton in his post-practice availability, and I want to preface by saying, Aiton did not seem in a particularly good mood, which I think led to him being kind of short with some responses to questions kind of interrupting them before they were finished. He looked like he wanted to get out of there.

And I don't say that to be critical of Aiton, more just to provide context to what may explain possibly his response. But he was asked about just generally what they've been working on, how things have been progressing, yada, yada. And then at one point was asked about what it has been like to work with LeBron and Luca. and his response was, I haven't. And then later added that, you know, for the time being,

they have not actually done this yet. And that, you know, they haven't worked together. And then he was only there for a little bit longer. And then his time was taken away. But he said, I haven't. It's something that I've been waiting on. Just got to prepare. J.J. and the coaching staff have probably have something where they can put stuff together

for us to really grow chemistry. And it is possible that, Aitin was answering this through the lens of, I have not played with them in a preseason game together, which we all know they've played two preseason games. Luca and LeBron did not play neither one. However, it had some people at practice, and I was not able to go, but I did do a little bit of calling around to people that were there. It's a lot of confusion as to whether Aiton was actually saying, I have not worked with

either much in practice either. What did it mean I haven't worked with them together, which is obvious because LeBron hasn't practiced yet. So definitionally, he can't have worked with LeBron and Luca because LeBron and Luca have not been on the floor. And so that part of it made, I think where it's getting people slightly confused is the idea does that mean LeBron and Luca or LeBron or Luca? Because while we know that LeBron hasn't gone full contact and done all that stuff

and has only done individual side work and stuff, which continues and is going to seems like it could be the deal, at least through the rest of this week and probably into next. Luca supposedly practiced last week. We were totally looks great. We were like told this. And assuming that's true. And this even becomes more about less about parsing what Aitna is saying in terms of like,

wait, when was Luca on the floor? When wasn't he? This week, Luca missed or was held out of the two games the Lakers have played. He did not play in Friday's preseason opener. He did not play in Sunday's preseason game. he has not really practiced, though, this week. So he went from reportedly practicing last week, looking good, and then held out because Eurobasket and fatigue and whatever.

And now he's been more limited this week in practice. And so I don't know what you're doing at home, Andy, but I'm waving my big red flag because that's not good. Well, it's also weird. Like the, again, with the continual caveat of DeAndre's comments were a bit confusing. Thursday, the Lakers are going to be practicing. I'm going to looking, I'm looking to be there. I imagine there are going to be a lot of questions looking to clarify this.

But Luca seemingly downgrading his availability this week in practice was, in and of itself a bit odd just because it's like, all right, you didn't play in these preseason games. You had been, we were under the impression, practicing in full, what exactly is going on. It was kind of weird anyway. And, you know, gets to the reasons why I've expressed my continual concern that I don't think the Lakers are getting the most out of training camp that they want

or possibly even should. But now with Aiton's comments, like the whole idea, idea of Luca not playing in these two preseason games to start the preseason would have been like, all right, there's six of them. That's a lot anyway. He played in Eurobasket. He's been practicing in full. So, okay, we'll just, we'll let him participate in three of the four games.

And it'll be fine in the end, assuming they really make the most of those games, Lucas, out there. But with that seemingly added context of, we're not now. sure how much Luca actually has been practicing, that makes all of a sudden him not practicing with everybody else on Tuesday and Wednesday more concerning or at the very least more confusing. No, I'm going to go with concerning because I, you know, I get it. And like people are picking on, uh, on Aiton and how, you know, they're like, I was looking on social media and stuff today, Twitter and whatnot, you know, for confusing,

oh, this is just Aiton, you know, like, separate DeAndre Aten's comments. DeAndre Aten's comments are the catalyst for even more speculation just about Luca. The Luca not being on the floor this week in, you know, reportedly participating in a limited fashion. That's what we were told, you know, that's what, you know, the Lakers have essentially said. I the the debate and we can we can carry this through after the break it was a big day as well for like other teams and other franchises posting we are grinding in you know preseason and you know you keep seeing the the picture of you know the lakers mantra about you know consistency and in their work and championship habits and championship effort and championship of all these other things and it's belied by who is on the floor. Now,

Marcus Smart, we thought, I thought was going to be out a little while longer. He was back earlier in the week. He's got the flu. So he's not practicing, but, you know,

he will be back out on the floor. I think Gabe Vincent. Hopefully he gave it to nobody else. Yeah, I think that you send a guy home when he's, that's what you do. You know, Gabe Vincent,

they are tending to a knee injury here that kept him out at the beginning of camp. And so, like, guys have dings that you need to keep up on. But the question has been, are the Lakers wasting the preseason? Are they taking it seriously? Are they a serious organization? And I'm not entirely sure that's the right framing. And I'll explain what I mean next.

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Quo, no missed calls, no missed customers. So like you said, Andy, a lot of things could be cleared up Thursday when the Lakers practicing Friday, when they play Sunday. They are not practicing on Friday. Jay has already said they're not. They're not for travel. But they play on Sunday and they play on. Tuesday. So they play in LA on Sunday. I think they're just not practicing.

You're just taking the day off. I'm pretty sure. I will double check the calendar. No, you're going to be right. I may have missed that. But anyway, so at least they are scheduled to practice. Well, they're traveling to crypto. So I need time. Traffic is brutal. Depending on where some guys live. I don't I got to admit, I pay, I just sort of assume they're playing in weird places in the preseason. I always lose track. So good to know. But either way, scheduled to practice on Thursday. If Luke is on the floor participating in full, a lot of this becomes a bit, you know, sort of a moot point. But, you know, the question is sort of are the Lakers sort of unsurious about what they're doing in this preseason?

Or are they just not able to put the guys on the floor that you would want to in the way that you would want to? Like, it's pretty clear to me that the LeBron. stuff is not the Lakers being unsurious or LeBron blowing off the preseason because while he said and his whole team said like we overdid it last year, there's plenty of middle ground

between overdoing it and not participating at all. The Lakers aren't playing. LeBron's not playing because he's not healthy enough to play right now and they don't want this thing to linger into the regular season. I think that's pretty clear. If Lucas

dinged up too, they have larger problems potentially. And, you know, if he, that is one explanation at least that is, to me, more worrisome than just, are they doing too much load management or something in the preseason? Well, I think they're both concerning. I mean, obviously, Lucas health is concerning if there is an issue. And to be clear, we do not know that. And the Lakers are frankly very opaque.

with this stuff and by opaque, I mean often dishonest. But like the truth is we don't know anything for the time being. Nobody, to the best of my knowledge, has heard anything about Luca dealing with something specific. Obviously, that's worrisome in and of itself. But I don't agree with you that it is not worrisome if they are essentially opting not to have their full squad out there when they could during these. I didn't say it's not worrisome.

I said it's more worrisome if he's hurt. Sure, but you said before, like the idea of it, you know, not being serious. That's something you're not concerned about. It is something I'm concerned about because we have a track record of the Lakers other than one season with JJ Redick who showed up a house of fire and, you know, an absolute ball of intensity and wanting to establish that tone early on from his coaching tenure. And we've also seen JJ say, I need to dial certain stuff back, which makes me wonder if this maybe is a process of dialing things back. I will also acknowledge that when it comes to superstars, they often have their own teams controlling these things.

And that may be at play here too. I think that was something I wanted to get into in a second here. But, you know, the fact remains, to the best of anybody's knowledge, Luca is not dealing with something specific. Alpern Shangoon, Nikola Yokic, Dennis Schroeder, these guys who all played in Eurobasket are all playing in preseason games. We heard a lot about the, you know, not just the necessity of training camp, but the opportunity that training camp presented, you know, to not, as Rob Polinka put it, assemble the plane in midair.

I'm not saying that blowing off camp or not getting the most out of it means that the plane is 70,000 feet in the air and you're working in real time. I'm just saying it's not taking full advantage, at least theoretically, of the things we were told that they cared about so much. It's part of the reason that I tend to think that guys are either. And we're really, to be, we're really talking about Luca and LeBron, you know, that. guys are either more banged up than we're being let on. The explanation with Luke of this is how his team wants to do it coming out of Eurobasket,

you know, to, you know, they believe that this is how, you know, he should be managed in the, in the preseason. He's, as far as I know, participated fully with Dallas in, you know, previous post, but like, you know, went deep, played last year, ended up getting hurt. hurt and it kind of screwed up his whole preseason. Of course. They screwed up his whole season. So it is very possible that this is becoming, this is coming, you know, at least in part,

some of Luca's preseason plan is dictated by Team Luca, in which case the Lakers have to make a decision of what do you do, which is more important. I think most people will probably say they're going to defer to what Luca wants to do physically. And so those are the things that make me worry more about the injury stuff, because I agree with you. They spent a ton of time talking about it. The first day or two of practice was filled with, oh, my God, we're working so hard and

oh, my God, the suicides and the fitness. For what it's worth, Gianri Aten said that the practices have still been really hard. I mean, that has been emphasized a lot, that, you know, the guys that are out there practicing in full are actually practicing hard. And, you know, there's a, there's a chance that Luca's individual workouts, LeBron's individual workouts are, you know, pretty taxing workouts as well. But they're just, they're not the same thing as working on the. No, I'm not, I'm not worried about fitness, you know, really from either of them.

It's great to say that about Lucas, isn't it? But I'm certainly not worried about LeBron's fitness. And I'm not worried about Lucas. but if they are not practicing full speed with the team, it is presumably, it certainly isn't the case of LeBron, because something is preventing them from doing it. So I think, you know,

when we talk about trades, for example, when can you be critical of Rob Polinka? You know, why he should have made this trade. He should have done that. You have to know what they said no to. Like what was available that they said no to? And I think before you can say the Lakers are an unsurious team that, you know, the championship this and championship that, the mantras that they put around the facility and all the stuff about championship shape is just silliness and they just aren't serious. You have to know what they're passing up.

Like should Luca, can Luca be on the floor? I don't know. Could LeBron play if this was a playoff game? probably but it isn't and so without knowing what's going on with luka it's hard for me to say the lakers are doing it wrong it just may be that they can't do what they want to do which to me is is worse because at least if you're not doing what all of us kind of would love to see which is building that continuity and all that. At least you're not doing those things with healthy bodies.

If they're not healthy, that's worse to me. I mean, again, they are both bad in their own right. They may, I don't know, which is even more of a lingering bad effect because you worry about an injury nagging over the course of a season. But at the same time, the habits and, you know, chemistry and cohesion that you don't establish in the preseason can also haunt you over the case. I will say I am much. If I of those two things for me, the lingering injury is a bigger.

I mean, look, I I'm not going to sit here ranking which of them bothers me more without even knowing somebody's actually. I'm just saying if broadly overall comparison you're making, I'm more concerned about the injury. Sure. I'm concerned about both, but my overarching concern regardless of what I would rank number one is that they're not getting the most out of this preseason that they can. And if nothing else, the reasons that they're not, it's becoming more abundantly clear are not clear to it.

Like something is not being explained because more and more as this goes on with Luca, it just doesn't really make sense. And I think that's the thing that Lakers are going to need to try to clarify. With, again, the acknowledgement that Aiton may have just phrased this clumsily wanted to get the hell out of there. And I'm just not, I'm taking DeAndre out of this. You know, I think, because again, I think there's so much wiggle room. I say that only because Aiton's comments sparked them.

Right. I know. I know. Like, that's what got a lot of this conversation really going. But I don't think it's really even fair to DeAndre because if the question is, what's it like to work with Luca and LeBron? He hasn't worked with Luke and LeBron. LeBron hasn't played at all.

And so he's, I don't know. I haven't done. it yet. So it's, I think I'm trying to take him out of the equation and I think if nothing else, the Lakers need to recognize that the temperature around the city is starting to rise a little bit and you can only go so long with Luca kind of not playing for reasons before somebody is, you know, ought to probably give one. And certainly if he doesn't play in Sunday's game,

we'll know maybe there is something going on here. And, you know, it's like the Lakers need to be healthy, first and foremost, with their star players before, you know, before the season starts.

Andy, there is a, we talked on Wednesday's show about the decision, 2.0. and how it disappointed some people who felt that LeBron put out a cheesy commercial or took advantage of people's emotions or whatever. There's one guy at the very least who is taking that sentiment to a court of law. And we'll explain next. Locked on Lakers is brought to you by prize picks.

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We enjoy dragging people to court. Sometimes, though, those lawsuits are a little frivolous. And I think we've got one of those today. Per TMZ sports, Andrew Garcia, a 29-year-old lifelong Lakers fan. I'm reading this right now from TMC Sports, filed a lawsuit in small claims court in L.A. County on Wednesday claiming LeBron James owes him $865 and 66 cents after he, he being Garcia, says the Hooper seemingly intimated that he was about to announce his retirement with the big leadup that turned out to be LeBron announcing that he is unretired from Hennessy. He is now in the Henny business, which it turns out, I didn't even realize this. Henny and Lobos, his tequila company, they have the same overarching owner.

So he's essentially just expanding his liquor family. But a lot of people, because LeBron called this the next big decision, decision 2.0, people have been speculating about when LeBron is going to finally call it quits. Mikey announced this soon, yada, yada. There were many people who took this despite what we tried to warn people. It's probably a commercial. There were some people who thought this might be LeBron's final season, announcement coming, and they pounced on the opportunity to buy very expensive tickets

because the prices went up for the final game of this season for the Lakers. It's going to be in crypto. and theoretically the last time you would see LeBron play in a regular season game for the time being we have no idea if that's the case. I don't even think LeBron knows whether or not that will be the case. But this guy's mad and feels that LeBron owes him almost $870 now. To be fair, this fellow isn't the only guy who scooped up those tickets. The resale went from like $85, like lowest, you know, they call it.

You know, where they, what's the get-in price of like $85? Lakers tickets, by the way, are really expensive. So, like, $85 gets you, like, the worst seat in the building. But that jumped quickly on Monday with the trees of this Tuesday drop. That jumped to, like, 450 was it became, like, the get-in price. That's apparently what this guy paid. on the one hand I mean I feel some sympathy for the guy

in the sense of like you know it's a lot of money but like we really shouldn't be setting up like using the legal system to protect ourselves from our own stupidity I mean like that that one

the number one rule of buying tickets is caveat M tour let the buyer beware particularly in sports like this is not say buying tickets for a concert let's say for example I just learned this

because I drove past a billboard near where I live in L.A. But apparently in September the Who did a farewell tour at the Hollywood Bowl which is hilarious because the WHO have been doing farewell tours since Brian and I'm

goodbye. Since Brian and I were kids. I'm pretty, I saw him at Bush Stadium in St. Louis when I was like in high school or something like that. I think that might have been a farewell. Oh, it was a farewell tour.

Their first farewell tour was in 1982. I'm not joking. No, I believe you. It was in 1982. Like, something like that, even with the farewell tour of it and,

you know, the who are down to two original members from the band, you buy those tickets, presuming Roger Daltering Pete Townsend. I was going to be there. To be fair to the who, those are the two most important members of the band. Well, and they're also the only one still alive. Right, but it's not, it would be different if it was just like, you know, John Entwistle and like the.

Honestly, I don't want to go down too far a rabbitel. I'd rather see Keith Moon than any of them. Oh, I understand that. But like in terms of your headliners. Sure. The point being, the, I don't want to take this. control. The point being, when you buy tickets for a concert, you expect the members of the band to participate in the concert. Sports, there's always the caveat of injury, particularly if you're

talking about a guy who will be 41 and therefore may have to retire. It's not how I would have done it. But like, you know, I look at it, though, but like it's when the time comes for LeBron's last game, oh man, like that is going to be an expensive, expensive ticket. Like this guy's stupidity aside, you know, the fair like the farewell tour is actually going to be one go round. and it's not he's not going to do 30 years of it wait to buy these tickets till you know LeBron's well no because if you do that if you know if he confirms it then the price goes up fivefold yeah but at least then you're buying what you want maybe you're paying more but you're buying the thing that you want now this Garcia fellow has tickets to a regular season game that not be LeBron's last regular season game. And if the Lakers have their playoff position solidified,

there's a 50-50 chance at least LeBron doesn't play in this game at all because he'll be resting. And you can't even be like, well, you know, he might be resting, but at least I'll get to see some stars on the other team because by then the jazz, who are one of the few teams in the West, who can legitimately stake claim to being really bad. with relatively minimal effort. I mean, there are other teams that would have to put, you have to kind of put a shoulder into it. The jazz, particularly if they end up trading Lori Markinen,

don't. Because if they don't end up trading the Lori Markinen, he'll stop playing in February anyway. So, like, you're going to be seeing, you know, LeBron James in street clothes versus, you know, Taylor Hendricks or whatever that. guy's name is. Probably still be playing

Ace Bailey. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Depends how well he's playing. But like, I would be, I'd be chapped too if I was paying that much money to watch Bronny play, you know, against Isaiah Collier. Like, I wouldn't be thrilled.

Again, I wouldn't be thrilled. I get why Mr. Garcia would not be thrilled. If Mr. Garcia is a big enough. NBA fan that he would do this in the first place. He damn well should have known the risks from the outset. No, I agree. Again, it was pretty clear. Quick.

This was not going to be a retirement. Radio Star Killa puts, mentions, uh, dead and company and their constant farewell tours. Are there any members of the original band that are still with, I believe Bob we're still doing it? I think he does. And maybe, Mickey Hart.

I'm always pausing to try to remember is this member of the dead still alive? Yes, I know. I believe at least one of the drummers is still alive and I think Mickey Hart. Okay, good for them. Yeah. Yeah.

So yeah, Bobby Weir and Mickey Hart. Thank you, Radio Starkiller. But yeah, we are reaching a point of time when you do need to point out that people are alive. Dolly Parton had to do that on Wednesday. She had to send out a tweet, letting everybody know she's fine because her sister scared everybody. She was getting like kidney stone surgery or something.

So anyway, Lockdown-Lakers on YouTube is where you can go hang out with over 36,000 subscribers through the channel, all of whom will be paying extra close attention to Thursday's practice and finding out what Luke Dodger is doing. We, of course, will tell you for Friday's show, hopefully it's good news that puts some of this stuff to bed, but we'll see and we'll see you tomorrow.