Lakers’ skinny Luka Doncic the butt of a JJ Redick joke after effortless domination of Kings

Luka Doncic has clearly taken his Los Angeles Lakers stint seriously, and the Lakers superstar's noticeably skinny appearance is strong evidence of that commitment. The slimmer-looking Luka helped lead the Lakers to a 127-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings in their first preseason game, and head coach JJ Redick is much impressed.

Following Doncic's stellar preseason performance, Redick explained that the Lakers superstar put considerable effort into improving his conditioning throughout the summer.

"The guy worked his butt off all summer and actually ran this summer. He actually did like sprints and stuff. Came into camp in fantastic shape," Redick said.

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"I think for someone who normally plays a ton of basketball, live basketball, he didn't do as much of that this summer by design. And I think we've seen him literally every day in camp, just incrementally just get more and more in rhythm," Redick added.

During his Dallas Mavericks stint, Doncic was frequently criticized for his conditioning and carrying extra weight. However, his arrival in Los Angeles has put him in a different conversation, with his offseason commitment becoming a major talking point.

His offseason work was evident in Sacramento, where Doncic looked comfortable and explosive despite playing limited minutes, finishing with 21 points. The Slovenian superstar also contributed two rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

The preseason numbers ultimately mean little compared with what happens during the regular season, but Doncic's performance in Sacramento offered an early indication that his offseason work could pay dividends.

The upcoming season also presents a new challenge for Doncic, as he is set to lead the LA team without LeBron James . Luka had already established himself as a franchise star even while James was alongside him in Los Angeles.

Now, it will be interesting to see whether Doncic can take another step forward and carry the Lakers into a new era as their unquestioned centerpiece.