The NBA has handed down a three-game suspension to Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder following an incident where he confronted and tried to hit Luka Doncic 40 minutes after the Kings’ defeat to the Lakers in Los Angeles on December 28.
Throughout the Kings’ 125-101 defeat, Doncic and Schroder exchanged words, particularly during a timeout when Doncic provoked Schroder, telling him he «should’ve signed that contract, baby,» referring to the four-year, $82 million extension Schroder turned down from the Lakers in the past.
Despite the Kings suffering their 24th loss in a disappointing 8-30 season, tensions seemed to settle. However, after leaving the Crypto.com locker room, Schroder saw Doncic, reigniting the altercation in the tunnel adjacent to the home bench.
Forty minutes post-game, Schroder confronted Doncic, asserting that he couldn’t call him a «b—-» on the court while acting as if everything was okay off it. The NBA determined that Schroder had attempted to strike Doncic.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton intervened in an attempt to calm the situation, pulling Schroder away as a surprised Doncic sought to remove himself from the tunnel while security stepped in to de-escalate the conflict.
Eventually, Schroder was escorted to the bus as Kings head coach Doug Christie and several players disembarked from the team bus, looking for clarity regarding the unexpected upheaval.
Doncic and his father, Saša, later made their way to their nearby vehicle and departed the loading dock as Schroder and his Kings teammates boarded the bus for their hotel in Beverly Hills.
The Lakers and Kings will face off again on Monday night in Sacramento, with Schroder serving his suspension for that game.
