The Los Angeles Lakers have been hit by the injury bug again. Austin Reaves has been out for a few games because of a calf strain. Now, Luka Dončić is out with a similar injury. Calf injuries have been the NBA’s latest trend, with Dončić being among the latest players to be dealing with one.
It doesn’t sound like Dončić’s injury is too serious, but it does seem that the Lakers will be cautious about handling it from here.
What is the Latest on Luka Dončić’s Calf Injury?
The Athletic’s Dan Woike shared a picture of Dončić’s calf being wrapped during his practice, signifying that he is definitely dealing with an injury at the moment, if that wasn’t clear before.
Pretty big wrap on Luka’s calf and running shoes on as we enter Lakers practice. Looks like Deandre Ayton and Austin Reaves were at least partial participants pic.twitter.com/FFCHtofKG7
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) December 22, 2025
The Lakers have already endured enough injuries. LeBron James missed the first month of the season while recovering from a sciatica injury. The team may have persevered fairly well without him, but making a legitimate playoff run will still require his presence, regardless.
It’s a shame that shortly after James returned, Reaves and Dončić, their two best players, have since gotten hurt and been shelved with similar injuries, no less. However, it has become quite clear how delicate calf injuries can be.
Everyone saw what happened to Tyrese Haliburton during the 2025 NBA Finals. He tried to play through a calf injury, a significant risk because doing so can lead to an Achilles tear, so when the worst-case scenario happened, tragic as it was, no one was surprised.
MORE: Luka Dončić Has a Hilarious Christmas Gift for Lakers Teammate Austin Reaves
The Lakers can’t afford to take the same risk with players like Dončić and Reaves. They are essentially the Lakers’ future, so if one of them suffers an Achilles rupture, not only will it sideline them, but it could also significantly alter their future for the worse.
Granted, Achilles tears have not been the death sentences for NBA careers that they typically have been in the past; however, that doesn’t mean players should take them lightly. If Dončić’s calf injury puts him at risk of suffering such a significant setback, the Lakers are absolutely right to have him on the sideline until he is 100% ready to go.
This situation is unfortunate for Dončić and the Lakers, but the one thing they cannot do is risk making it worse.
