Luka Doncic has decided to travel to Europe in an effort to speed up his recovery after suffering a grade 2 hamstring strain, an injury that will keep him out of action for 4 to 6 weeks. Under this timeline, the Slovenian star would not return to the court with the Los Angeles Lakers until a potential Conference Semifinals appearance, should the team advance in the playoffs.

According to his agent, Bill Duffy, speaking to ESPN, Doncic opted to seek specialized medical treatment in Europe after consulting with both the Los Angeles franchise and his own medical staff. The decision reflects his determination to explore every possible option to shorten his recovery time.

The team’s situation is further complicated by the absence of Austin Reaves, who is expected to miss a similar amount of time due to an oblique injury. These setbacks force the Lakers to adjust their rotation during a critical stretch of the regular season.

The former Real Madrid CF player picked up the injury during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and since then the team has felt his absence. In fact, the Lakers recently fell to the Dallas Mavericks in a game that exposed their struggles without their main stars.

The Lakers currently sit third in the Western Conference with a 50–28 record and are fighting to stay within the top four to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Doncic is fully focused on returning as soon as possible and in optimal physical condition.

Watch beIN SPORTS Xtra live and free on YouTube