The Los Angeles Lakers entered the playoffs with the understanding that they might have to survive without Luka Doncic, and apparently, for far longer than anyone initially believed.
When Doncic went down with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on April 2, the expectation was simple: rest, rehab, and reassess.
Then, reports surfaced that Doncic had traveled to Spain for treatment, a move that, on the surface, suggested a recovery plan was in motion.
But now, just hours before Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, that narrative is being challenged by one of the NBA‘s most prominent insiders, Brian Windhorst.
Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Tuesday, Windhorst questioned why Doncic would go to Spain instead of more conventional rehab hubs, and pointed out his personal ties to both Madrid and nearby Slovenia, suggesting the trip may have been less about treatment and more about circumstance.
“I’ve heard of going to Germany, I’ve never heard of going to Spain,” Windhorst said. “Now, Luka also has a newborn who is in Slovenia, and so I certainly think if he had an opportunity to go and get some time off, go to Slovenia and see your newborn child … I’m not saying he didn’t. I’m just saying when they sent him overseas, that was not an indication of a minor hamstring injury.”
“That was like you’re not going to be doing anything for a few weeks anyways, so go ahead and go to Europe because you came back 48 hours after your child was born in the middle of the season,” he added. “As soon as that happened, I was like, this does not sound like a small hamstring injury. And so that is unfortunately, what it looks like is going on.”
Doncic’s life off the court has become just as consequential as his injury timeline, and it helps explain why a “treatment trip” to Europe may have doubled as something far more personal.
Doncic is the father of two young daughters, Gabriela (born 2023) and Olivia (born December 2025), both currently in Slovenia with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes.
In recent weeks, reports have confirmed he traveled to Slovenia during his rehab window to reunite with them, marking his first visit in nearly two months amid an ongoing custody situation.
Doncic and Goltes reportedly ended their engagement in March 2026 and are now entangled in a cross-border legal dispute involving child support and jurisdiction, with filings in both Slovenia and California.
Geographically, Spain isn’t random either. Doncic has deep roots in Madrid from his Real Madrid days and regularly spends parts of his offseason there, making it a familiar base during recovery.
Put it together, and the Europe trip may have been centered equally around rehab, as it was family time and possibly managing a sensitive legal and personal situation.
Game 1 of the Lakers’ second-round series against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder tips off on Tuesday night, and it will be without Doncic.
All that’s known right now about Doncic is that he’s officially out to start the series, still on a slow path to recovery, and remains week-to-week with no clear timetable.
Some projections suggest a possible return around Game 4 or Game 5, but even that would come with limitations and serious re-injury risk.
And if Windhorst is right, the Lakers may have known this wasn’t a short-term injury all along.