LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Los Angeles Lakers’ acquisition of Luka Dončić has significantly changed the trajectory of a franchise that had been hoping for one last championship run from 40-year-old LeBron James and his partnership with Anthony Davis. With Dončić now at the forefront, the Lakers’ future looks much brighter, and they could even contend for a title this year if he quickly gels with James. Their chances improve further if they can also secure a center to fill the void left by Davis.

However, any major success this season will depend on Dončić returning to full strength and making his debut with the Lakers.

The 25-year-old Slovenian, who hasn’t played since Christmas, has been out long enough to miss out on qualifying for the All-NBA team, a recognition he’s earned for the past five seasons.

Dončić injured his left calf late in the second quarter of the Mavericks’ loss to Minnesota. The injury was severe enough that he remained on the floor while the game continued, before limping to the locker room.

Dončić missed the Mavs’ next 19 games and had only played two games upon his return before suffering another injury. He had previously missed two games due to a bruised left heel. Since his rookie year in 2018-19, Dončić has played 70 games in a season just once.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka shared that Dončić will participate in 5-on-5 drills on Wednesday. Afterward, the Lakers will collaborate with Dončić’s personal training staff to develop a plan for his return.

Both Dončić and the Lakers are optimistic that he will be back soon, possibly even before the Lakers complete their current four-game stretch in Los Angeles over the next week.

Dončić mentioned that he has been more careful with this injury, noting that in the past, he played through minor issues, sometimes to his detriment.

“For the first time, I took my time to get it to heal 100%,” Dončić explained about his recovery. “Other times, I just wanted to get back on the court even if I wasn’t fully healthy. This time, I allowed myself the proper time to recover.”

The Lakers have time to handle the situation properly, with 34 games remaining in the regular season after their Tuesday night game against the Clippers.

“We’re going to take it one day at a time to ensure the calf injury heals safely,” Pelinka said. “I’d say right now, he’s day-to-day. We’ll proceed cautiously, but if everything goes well and Luka feels confident, he’ll be back on the court soon.”

When he returns, Dončić is expected to start alongside versatile Austin Reaves in the backcourt, taking over the spot recently held by Max Christie, the young 3-and-D wing who was traded with Davis to the Mavericks.

Christie entered the Lakers’ starting lineup on Dec. 8, but Los Angeles hasn’t used a traditional point guard since trading D’Angelo Russell on Dec. 29, though veteran Gabe Vincent is typically in the rotation.

James and Reaves are primarily responsible for initiating much of the Lakers’ offense, but Dončić will certainly be the main ball handler. Contrary to some critics’ views, this should suit James just fine, as he has expressed his desire to play off the ball more this season.

One of the best ways to use James and Dončić together is in pick-and-roll scenarios. JJ Redick, who played with Dončić in Dallas, is no doubt excited by the possibility of creating plays for these two exceptional playmakers and scorers.

As for the Lakers’ defense, without Davis anchoring the rim, they will likely take a significant step back. It’s easy to envision James and Dončić needing to outscore their opponents, and often, their combined talent will be enough to do just that.