Orange County Register

Doncic, who made a $500,000 donation to wildfire recovery efforts, touches hands with LeBron James.

The Lakers’ Luka Doncic shoots over Utah’s Isaiah Collier in the first half of Monday’s game at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic made his Lakers debut after coming to them in a trade for Anthony Davis. PHOTOS BY MARK J. Terrill / AP

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The teams also joined forces with Fanatics and the Fanatics Foundation to distribute $3 million worth of Fanatics merchandise to those who evacuated their homes.

The Lakers also hosted multiple donation drives the week after the fires started.

CONTINUITY

Doncic started alongside Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Jaxson Hayes in his first game with the Lakers.

Coach JJ Redick acknowledged that there has been consideration about having Dorian Finney-Smith join the first unit, but they are sticking with Hachimura, who has started every game this season.

“And that group, obviously, starting with a sample size of zero, and we’ll go from there,” Redick said. “There is a lot of thought around Doe, but frankly, he and the way he plays doesn’t change whether he comes off the bench or starts. And Rui has just been fantastic all season long.

“I wouldn’t say there’s a lineup change on the horizon in terms of getting Doe in the starting lineup. We love him in the starting lineup if somebody’s out. We love him off the bench. But everything gets examined.”

HONEST CONVERSATIONS

With the Lakers’ trade with the Charlotte Hornets for 7-foot center Mark Williams being rescinded on Saturday night, rookie wing Dalton Knecht and veteran wing Cam Reddish returned to the Lakers after a 72-hour period when they thought they’d be on the Hornets.

Redick said the unusual situation created a “whirlwind of emotion.”

“Cam is still with his family, welcomed his baby daughter last week and obviously want to give him time with his family,” he said. “With Dalton, I spoke with him this (Monday morning). I expressed to him just the empathy and grace that I will give him and have for him right now.

“He’s obviously been through a whirlwind of emotion as a rookie over the last few days, but we believe in the strength of the group. Having him around the group, he’s not going to necessarily be in the rotation, he will be in uniform. But I really feel like given he flew back into L.A. (Sunday) night, he’s obviously kind of processing everything that’s happened.”