Buss noted Doncic’s rapid rise in Los Angeles, pointing to him becoming the NBA’s top-selling jersey and leading the league in scoring, while stressing that his presence brings global appeal and a winning mindset to the Lakers.
She also drew a personal parallel to Kobe Bryant, saying Kobe would be excited to see Doncic don the Lakers uniform and continue to lead the franchise into the foreseeable future, a sentiment tied to the emotional connection between the two eras of Lakers basketball.
Meanwhile, Doncic remains out indefinitely after a grade 2 hamstring injury, with treatment taking him abroad for further rehabilitation and no firm reevaluation date from the team. The typical recovery window for such an injury is three to six weeks, and teams often monitor re-injury risk upon return.
Reaves, who shares the Lakers’ offensive load, is dealing with his own injury, and the two stars’ statuses are the most critical questions for the Lakers’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets. Coaches and front-office leaders have spoken about keeping the season alive long enough to get both players back if possible.
Head coach JJ Redick has framed the club’s approach as a bid to stretch the postseason timeline, saying the team will do everything possible to keep the series going and position Doncic and Reaves to return at a point that gives Los Angeles the best chance to advance. As the series unfolds, any update on their returns will heavily influence the Lakers’ playoff outlook.
