Ric Flair clarifies ‘lame duck’ insult on Luka Doncic with Jayson Tatum’s example

He added, “I would have said the same thing about Jayson Tatum on the Celtics, but I’m not a Boston fan. For 46 million dollars a year, I think you can play! Everyone is allowed to have their own opinion. And this is mine!”

Flair’s clarification made it clear that his issue was not specifically with Doncic being the Lakers’ long-term centerpiece.

Instead, he framed it as a broader expectation for highly paid franchise stars to be available in major playoff games.

What Ric Flair originally said about Luka Doncic getting traded

Following the Lakers’ 108-90 Game 1 loss to Oklahoma City, Flair urged Doncic to take a cortisone shot and play through pain, pointing to his salary and the team’s need for scoring help.

He then tagged Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and said he hoped she would trade Doncic next year, adding that “nobody wants a lame duck on their team.”

The reaction was immediate because Doncic has been dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, an injury that has kept him sidelined since April 2.

That context made Flair’s criticism controversial. Many fans pushed back by noting that hamstring injuries can worsen if a player rushes back too soon.

Still, Flair’s basketball argument was simple. LeBron James scored 27 points in Game 1, and Flair believed even a limited Doncic performance could have changed the result.

But Flair has made his position clear: he sees superstar availability as part of the job, even if the Lakers clearly view Doncic as untouchable.

Read more:

• WWE legend Ric Flair takes ‘lame duck’ shot at Luka Doncic after Game 1 loss vs. OKC Thunder
• Brian Windhorst shares concern over Luka Doncic rehab progress ahead of OKC series
• Cunningham hits playoff feat last seen in 2021 with Doncic and Antetokounmpo