Doncic Looks Ahead to Next Season with Optimism, While LeBron Weighs Retirement Decisions

Luka Doncic expressed his emotions following the exit from the 2025 NBA Playoffs sponsored by Google, just a few months after a significant trade that saw him move from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, which had a major effect on his season and career.

“I’m really happy to be here. The past few months have been fantastic. I’m still in the process of getting to know everything, from the city to the team. I’m just trying to sort through all of this,” the Slovenian star stated during a postgame press conference, reflecting on their season-ending defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.

Recently, the 26-year-old guard faced a bout of illness, which was compounded by a concerning back injury he sustained in Game 5. “It’s definitely not good,” Doncic noted about his condition, as he commented on his quick departure from the game just before halftime.

“I don’t think I played up to my standards. As a team, we didn’t perform at our best either. But hats off to Minnesota. They played an incredible series. They were undeniably the superior team,” he summarized the Western Conference Quarterfinals matchup.

Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, Doncic reflected on the solid rapport he began building with Kyrie Irving after their first preseason together with the Mavericks.

“It’s challenging to go without practices, but I’m really looking forward to the preseason and the chance to learn more about each other,” Doncic shared as he anticipates the preparations for the upcoming NBA Regular Season.

Conversely, LeBron James appeared to be contemplating potential retirement.

“I’m not sure. I can’t say for certain,” the 40-year-old forward responded when asked how long he plans to keep playing. “It’s a decision I’ll discuss with my family, my wife, and my support network. We’ll have conversations to figure out what the future holds. Honestly, I can’t provide an answer at this moment. We’ll see how it unfolds.”

“There’s a lot on my mind,” he added when queried about the Lakers’ roster for the 2025-26 season, “I’m uncertain about my current position.”

Besides the Lakers possibly restructuring their team under head coach JJ Redick, Doncic’s offseason plans may also involve competing in EuroBasket 2025 with the Slovenian national team.

Stay tuned for more updates.