Luka Doncic to file rare NBA grievance to protect MVP eligibility after injury

The Los Angeles Lakers took a major hit during a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder when Luka Doncic left the game in the third quarter with discomfort in his left leg. Medical evaluation confirmed a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and the news got worse from there.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Doncic was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season with no confirmed timeline for his return.

The Lakers currently sit at the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with five games left, but losing their star guard raises serious questions about their postseason outlook.

Luka Doncic’s agent eyes loophole after season-ending injury

Doncic played 64 regular-season games this year, falling just one short of the NBA's 65-game threshold for award eligibility. That detail turned into a talking point almost immediately after the injury news broke.

His agent, Bill Duffy, released a statement addressing the situation and making it clear that the team plans to challenge the league's eligibility rules.

"This season, Luka Doncic has performed at a historic level, leading the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference and placing himself in the middle of one of the most tightly contested MVP races in memory," the statement reads.

"To ensure that Luka's incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honored and he can be considered for the league's end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an 'Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge' to the 65-game rule. Luka missed two games this season for the birth of his second child in Slovenia."