Lakers' Luka Doncic Receives New Expected Return Date

The Los Angeles Lakers will play their last game before the All-Star break on Thursday, with the team playing host to the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena. The team will be shorthanded once again with superstar Luka Doncic and center Deandre Ayton set to miss this matchup.

Doncic is still dealing with a hamstring injury, which has kept him sidelined for the last three games. He was hoping to return to take on his former team in Los Angeles, but now the target is the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports.

Luka Doncic Targets All-Star for Return

New video: Joined @SportsCenter with @HannahStormESPN to discuss Luka, LeBron and their All-Star availability pic.twitter.com/mGdPd54oRi
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 12, 2026

"The mild strain that he has in his hamstring usually comes with a diagnosis for rehab and recovery about seven to 10 days, so that time period puts him right up against this weekend and Sunday's All-Star Game now," McMenamin said of Doncic's status.

"I'm told he'd consider it a great honor. He was the leading vote getter for the first time in his eight-year career, amassing more than three million ballots, and we've seen a situation like this before. I covered Kobe Bryant in the 2008 All-Star Game. He dislocated his pinky finger just before the All-Star Game. He ended up playing in three minutes in the game as kind of a token appearance as a thank you to the fans. Perhaps that's what we get from Luka on Sunday if he doesn't feel fully recovered with that hamstring."

With hamstring injuries being tricky, Doncic might not want to force it on Sunday if there's some uncertainty about it not being fully healed.

Ahead of Thursday's game against the Mavericks, Lakers head coach said that Doncic should be good to go to play after the All-Star break, according to Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com.

JJ Redick says Luka is continuing to progress really well, but they just wanted to be cautious and sit him out tonight.

"He should be good to go post-All-Star."
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) February 13, 2026

So, as of now, Doncic's status for the All-Star Game remains uncertain, but there appears to be some clarity on LeBron James's status.

LeBron James Will Be at the All-Star Game

LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers — Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"LeBron is off the injury report, so we will see him in the lineup tonight against the Mavericks," McMenamin said. "This Lakers group had kind of built some momentum before this Luka Doncic injury, and they're hoping they can go into the All-Star break on a high note by getting a win against the Mavericks.

"LeBron will be at the All-Star Game. He hasn't played as much in recent years. Last year, he didn't play at all because of a foot injury, and the two years prior, he only played 15 minutes or so. I would expect him to be playing unless something happens tonight against Dallas, but not playing a full gamut of minutes, getting out there and playing in L.A. You never know, if things start looking good for him, the last time he played in an All-Star Game in 2018 in Los Angeles, he was the game's MVP."

Only time will tell whether the Lakers have any players on the floor Sunday at the Intuit Dome, but there's definitely a chance they'll have at least one of their superstars representing the team.