Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers got bounced from the 2025 NBA Playoffs pretty early. It took Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves just five games to send LA crashing out of the postseason, but at least the Slovenian superstar appears to be using the early offseason to get down to work in preparation for his first full season with the Purple and Gold franchise.
In a video shared by Doncic via his official Instagram account on Tuesday morning, the former NBA scoring champion was seen doing some serious work in the gym.
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It can be recalled that Doncic's health and conditioning were a major talking point during his transition from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers. Just 26 years old, the five-time NBA All-Star appears to be making sure that he's going to be in top shape when the 2025-26 NBA season arrives.
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That's an exciting thought for Lakers fans, who will see Doncic play for Los Angeles after a full offseason with the team, something that he did not get to experience when he was shockingly dealt by the Mavs to the Lakers via a stunning trade before last February's NBA trade deadline.
In 28 games in the last regular season with the Lakers, Doncic averaged 28.2 points. He struggled to find his rhythm with his shot early on with his new team, shooting just 43.8 percent from the field and posting a 53.0 effective field goal percentage with Los Angeles, but he can be expected to be better in the coming season, given a fresh start he's having in the offseason.
Ageless wonder LeBron James is expected to return for his 23rd season and could still be the alpha in La La Land, but Doncic's time as the next undisputed face of the franchise is soon coming. Just being in his best form should also go a long way in helping the Lakers continue being a playoff contender, at least.
Remember, Doncic, who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024, finished inside the top 10 in voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player award for five seasons in a row before the 2024-25 campaign.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.