The Los Angeles Lakers plan to use their complete roster Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns, with Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart scheduled to play their first preseason minutes, head coach JJ Redick told reporters, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Redick said both veterans are expected to appear in two of the Lakers’ last three exhibition contests. They will likely sit out Wednesday’s back-to-back in Dallas and return Friday versus Sacramento.
Doncic has not been injured; the team has simply managed his workload following a busy summer with Slovenia at EuroBasket 2025. He will face a minutes limit in his first outing. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt noted that Doncic “is moving great… He’s vocal, he’s leading, and he’s being everything we need him to be,” via Khobi Price of the Orange County Register.
Smart had originally been targeted to play Sunday against Golden State but was held out to address Achilles soreness and a stomach illness.
Second-year forward Dalton Knecht also drew praise after scoring 16 points in Sunday’s start. Redick called him “a big-time shooter” whose ultimate ceiling will depend on his defensive growth.
Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers have re-signed guard TyTy Washington Jr. and waived guard John Poulakidas, The Athletic’s Law Murray reported. Washington, a former first-round pick, returns on an Exhibit 10 deal after being released in late September and could again be routed to the Ontario Clippers of the G League.
Poulakidas, a 6-foot-5 Yale product who shot 40.8 percent from three in college, is also a candidate for the G League roster.
Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans briefly added guards Chase Hunter and Josh Oduro on Exhibit 10 contracts before waiving both players, according to the NBA transaction log. Hunter, a six-year Clemson standout and First-Team All-ACC selection, averaged 16.5 points last season and graduated as the Tigers’ third-leading scorer all-time.
Oduro, a 6-foot-9 forward from Providence, produced 12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds across 148 collegiate games and also attended Pelicans training camp last year. Both players are expected to join the Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League affiliate.
Source: Hoops Wire
