Luka Doncic has gotten off to a red-hot start to the 2025-26 NBA season, but the 1-1 Los Angeles Lakers might be without his services for their game against the 1-1 Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Sunday. The Lakers have released their injury report for the game against the Kings, and there could be a fair few absentees.
Doncic (left finger sprain) and Jaxson Hayes (left knee soreness) are both listed as questionable. LeBron James (right sciatica), Maxi Kleber (abdominal muscle strain), and Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery), meanwhile, are all out.
Doncic injured his finger early on in the 128-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The Slovenian had it wrapped up for the rest of the game, but he clearly wasn’t too bothered by it. Doncic racked up 49 points (14-23 FG), 11 rebounds, and eight assists against the Timberwolves. It was his second straight 40-point game to start the campaign, and he is the first player in Lakers history to pull off that feat.
While Doncic played against the Timberwolves, Hayes did not. The 25-year-old could well be missing back-to-back games, and that might mean more minutes at the center spot for Jarred Vanderbilt against the Kings. Vanderbilt did do a fairly decent job of backing up Deandre Ayton against the Timberwolves.
As for the confirmed absentees, they’re the same as against the Timberwolves.
James continues to be sidelined due to sciatica and might only be back in mid-November. The 40-year-old’s absence had led to the Lakers relying on Doncic more than ever before, and they’d be hoping he’s able to play against the Kings.
Kleber, Doncic’s longtime teammate, strained his oblique before the season opener against the Golden State Warriors and will be reevaluated in a week or so. The German has yet to play a regular-season game for the Lakers since arriving as part of that trade with the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025.
Lastly, we get to Thiero, who underwent knee surgery before the 2025 NBA Draft. The rookie is set to be reevaluated in the coming weeks, and we might not see the 36th pick in action for a while.
