Not long ago, the Los Angeles Lakers witnessed the passing of the torch. It signified adopting a new culture and renewed championship ambitions. And the transition is already taking shape, with Doncic now recognized as the face of the Lakers. As part of his leadership duties, the six-time All-NBA guard is hosting the entire roster in his home country before training camp.
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According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Doncic has invited every Lakers player to Slovenia for a four-day minicamp in August. The basic itinerary will reportedly include “workouts, golf and some Ljubljana tourism and bonding” ahead of training camp. NBA insider Brian Windhorst, though, feels optimistic about the Slovenian’s efforts as long as it ultimately leads to success.
“I think it’s cool to get the team off on the right foot,” Windhorst said on The Sedano & Kap Morning Show. “At the end of the day, you’ve still got to execute on the court. It’s not worth nothing, but it’s only worth what you back it up with when you’re playing.”
Although Windhorst didn’t hesitate to publicly express the end goal, he admitted he liked the idea of getting to know a player’s background and thinks Doncic’s approach is “cool.” Indeed, that is quite difficult when there are 15 players on an NBA team’s roster. Windy also recalled that Doncic had organized similar gatherings during his Dallas tenure, including a stop in Madrid, where he developed into a professional with Real Madrid before entering the NBA.
This isn’t Doncic’s first attempt to foster a better team atmosphere. In December, he gifted the LA team (players and staff) more than 100 e-bikes. Redick was one of the few to commend Doncic, calling it a “very nice gesture,” while the team’s official social media handle named him ‘Luka Claus.’
From a holistic perspective, the upcoming mini-camp is the second of its kind. They already held one during the Las Vegas Summer League. But that was a much smaller gathering, including names like Jake LaRavia, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Bronny James, and new joinee Walker Kessler.
This Doncic-led one is set to have the entire team in attendance, and it comes at a pivotal moment for an LA team featuring new faces like Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, and rookie Cameron Carr.
Last season was a mix of highs and lows for the Lakers, finishing with a 53-29 record. The latter part of the regular season was inspiring, as JJ Redick’s team went 16-2 during the end-of-February-to-March stretch. For the first time in a while, everyone even started wondering whether the trio of Doncic, Reaves, and LeBron James could ignite a real title run. However, disaster soon struck. Doncic and Reaves suffered serious injuries, leaving the 41-year-old to bear most of the load.
Even though insiders teased week after week that the Slovenian was nearing a return after going abroad for stem-cell treatment, he didn’t come back. Reaves regained enough fitness to return toward the end of the first round, but the 2025 champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, proved to be too overpowering in the second.
Crucially, Rob Pelinka and the front office had to make drastic decisions this offseason. Partly because they want to win, and partly because they’re on a clock with Doncic, who has a player option for the 2028-29 season. There’s enough reason to believe that the face of the Lakers will opt out and eventually move on if LA remains stuck in the postseason rut they’ve been in since winning their last championship in the bubble.
The Lakers splashed big to acquire Kessler and practically nerfed their short-term future ($130 million, two unprotected first-round picks, and two unprotected first-round swaps) to primarily address the big man position that Deandre Ayton failed to step into. This huge leap of faith was worrisome because Kessler played only five games last season. He also didn’t reach 60 games in the season before that…
“He better be good,” said one Western Conference scout told The Athletic anonymously.
Looney was eventually acquired as a backup, but, skills aside, he played only 21 games last season. The Lakers are said to be still on the hunt for more depth. They reportedly chased Mitchell Robinson, who left the defending champions to join the Boston Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million deal.
Meanwhile, the Lakers also added a reliable rebounding and attacking presence in Mamukelashvili, alongside Grimes and Williams, who bring 3-and-D qualities to the table. Stealing Sexton in free agency at a bargain price will definitely help Redick with attacking depth when his starters rest. Not to forget Austin Reaves’ commitment to a long-term extension worth $185 million to be the primary initiator alongside Doncic for the next few years.
In theory, the Lakers are assembling a capable team around Doncic, who would also understand that it’s now his responsibility to unify the group. Besides basketball drills, his minicamp will focus on building relationships before the season begins.