In May last year, as the Dallas Mavericks celebrated reaching the NBA Finals for the third time in their history, there was a brief eye-catching moment during their celebrations. Luka Doncic, the MVP of the Western Conference Finals was seen enjoying what he calls a “recovery beer.” But he only takes a sip before assistant GM Michael Finley quietly takes the beer from Doncic’s hand. This incident at the Target Center highlighted the dynamic between Doncic and Mavericks front office executives and it was perhaps foreshadowing his blockbuster move to LA.

In his farewell message to the Mavericks fans, Doncic it seemed didn’t want to move and was actually looking to end his career in Dallas. But it seems, the Mavs had some issues with Doncic, especially when it came to his conditioning and concerns over his weight. While the LA side has roped in the Slovenian with the ambition of carrying the franchise legacy after LeBron James’ retirement, the star guard’s conditioning is a big concern.

In November, the Mavericks reportedly gave Doncic time off to lose some pounds amid growing frustration with his weight issues. His frequent injuries are another reason why many believe the Mavs decided to move him on. This season alone he has played just 22 games for the team and was last seen in action on December 25, 2024, the same game during which he suffered the calf injury. Hence, the move as big as it is, still comes with some skepticism, but Lakers legend James Worthy quickly moved to allay any fears.

According to Worthy, the presence of LeBron James on the roster will help Doncic to stay in shape and get healthy. Speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the 3x NBA Champ said, “LeBron’s gonna take him in the gym. He’s going to the gym and he’s gonna look at that diet. You know maybe even know nightlife. Luka is going to adapt to what’s going on in that locker room. At 25, I was drinking 6 pack of beer a week and you know chilling at 25 and I didn’t get it till I was 28-29. He’s young. So hopefully coming to LA will change some of his strategies.”

Throughout his 7-season-long career, Luka Doncic has never completed a single without an injury break. Moreover, his time has been marred with weight issues. In 2020, as the NBA players convened for training camp, Doncic was noticeably heavier than he was during the previous season. He addressed the issue and admitted, “I’m not in my best shape.” While he vowed to get back in shape, his weight became a topic of discussion once again next season.

As the Mavericks played on TNT, many analysts observed that he was bulkier than before. Reggie Miller said, “This is the heaviest I’ve probably ever seen Luka look, right now,” while play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan commented, “My eyes tell me he’s a little heavier.” Doncic did say that after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he spent three weeks off from basketball, which may have led to a delay in getting in shape.

Before the 2023/24 season, it was reported that the Mavericks asked him to trim down his weight, which he duly did. A fit and agile Doncic featured in the All-NBA First Team campaign in 2024 and led Dallas to the NBA Finals, winning Western Conference Finals MVP in the process.

Talking about Doncic further, Worthy explained that Doncic should realize where he is at this stage of his career, and being with LA could go either way. “It is Los Angeles too. It’s not Dallas. You could have some pitfalls if you don’t watch yourself. I think Luka understands where he is right now in his career,” he said.

Despite the fitness issues, Doncic continued to be a strong member of the Mavericks side. Last season, he averaged  33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists, to finish third in the MVP race. Over the years, he established himself as the cornerstone of the franchise with his ability to dominate offensively and offer a rare combo of scoring, passing, and rebounding. Yet, his injury and conditioning concerns remained a bone of contention for the Dallas front office.

According to ESPN insiders Tim MacMahon and Ramona Shelburne, the Mavs were getting frustrated with his weight issues. “He gained weight while he was out, which frustrated team officials, sources said. The primary reasoning for an 11-day absence in late November, officially attributed to a right wrist sprain, was to provide Dončić time to shed weight after he had ballooned into the high 260s, sources said. He had a similar shutdown in December 2021, early in the first season of the Harrison-Kidd regime,” they pointed out.

Doncic will have the ideal mentor in LeBron James to kick start his career in LA and will look to turn the Lakers into a contender once again. At 40, James has become the epitome of fitness and longevity in the NBA and for a generational talent like Doncic, who hasn’t reached his prime yet, he couldn’t have asked for a better leader than the Akron Hammer. 

As Worthy also mentioned, “He could be the best in the NBA if he wants,” it could come down to how much Doncic is willing to invest in himself to maintain a healthy track record. That said, it looks like rumors and reports of Doncic being overweight may have been exaggerated.

Did Luka Doncic already get back in shape?

Last night, wearing a black hoodie, Luka Doncic stepped out of a private and walked toward the transit. In the meantime, the paparazzi caught hold of him, raising a roar of applause with their shutters. The 25-year-old acknowledged the love, posing for them. But what was interesting was that the former Maverick didn’t look alarmingly overweight.

However, there were contradicting opinions as well. Some felt that the star’s outfit did the trick. So, we’ll just have to wait until the star shares the floor alongside Bron and the rest of the Lakers. With Mavs GM already challenging Luka’s defensive ability and fitness, Luka Doncic has a lot of work to do. Will this be a great fit for the Lakers’ future? Or did the team make the costliest mistake of the century? Let us know in the comments below.