The LeBron James era is over in Los Angeles, and Luka Doncic has wasted no time showing that he is ready to lead the Lakers into their next chapter. Instead of waiting for training camp to begin, Doncic invited the entire Lakers roster to his home country of Slovenia for a four-day minicamp in August, personally paying for the trip as he looks to build chemistry with a team that has gone through major changes this offseason.

It is the first big move by Doncic since officially becoming the face of the franchise. Along with on-court workouts, the camp is expected to include golf, sightseeing around Ljubljana and team bonding, giving new and returning players a chance to get comfortable with one another before the season begins. While many around the league have praised the gesture, ESPN analysts Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are not convinced that team chemistry alone solves the Lakers’ biggest questions.

Speaking on Pardon the Interruption, Wilbon asked Kornheiser whether Doncic’s Slovenia minicamp made him more bullish about the Lakers’ upcoming season. “My short answer is no, because they don’t have LeBron James anymore,” Kornheiser said.

While he acknowledged the Lakers had added several new players, Kornheiser felt replacing James’ impact would never be easy. At the same time, he saw the minicamp as a clear sign that the franchise has officially turned the page.

“The subtext here is the Lakers are saying LeBron is now gone, this is Luka’s team,” Kornheiser said before joking about the team’s trip to Slovenia. “Maybe the players will be happier this year. Maybe they will be closer this year… It’s Luka’s deal right now.”

Wilbon agreed that the camp was a smart idea, but he pointed to a different concern. For him, the biggest issue had nothing to do with leadership or chemistry.

“Who’s going to play defense on that team? It ain’t going to be Luka and it ain’t going to be Austin Reaves,” Wilbon said, while also praising the Lakers’ addition of Walker Kessler as a defender and rebounder.

Their comments were less about questioning Doncic’s leadership and more about whether the Lakers’ roster is ready to compete with the Western Conference’s best teams once the season starts.

Luka’s leadership continues to earn praise

Even if the analysts were not ready to raise their expectations, Doncic’s leadership has been one of the biggest talking points of the Lakers’ offseason.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the four-day retreat will bring together the entire roster, including two-way players and Bronny James, with Doncic covering travel and other expenses himself. The goal is simple: build relationships now instead of waiting until training camp opens in September.

The trip also reflects how much Doncic has embraced his new role. Along with organizing the minicamp, he has reportedly played a part in recruiting players this offseason, including defensive wing Matisse Thybulle alongside head coach JJ Redick. It marks another step in his growth from being just the Lakers’ biggest star to becoming the team’s leader off the court as well.

“I think we have a really good team,” Doncic said while speaking about the Lakers’ outlook after last season’s playoff exit. New center Kevon Looney also welcomed the opportunity, saying he was excited to meet his teammates in a different setting and experience Slovenia for the first time.

Before wrapping up the discussion, Wilbon also shared one of his favorite stories involving Doncic. He recalled Kobe Bryant surprising the then-young Mavericks star by trash-talking him in Slovenian during a game at Staples Center. Doncic later admitted he was shocked to hear his native language before turning around and realizing it was Bryant, calling it a moment he would never forget.

Wilbon ultimately felt Doncic was doing exactly what a franchise leader should.

“You need to do this,” he said. “I think it’s a smart thing. Build the bonding out. Even if you can’t defend, you can be close.”

Whether the Slovenia minicamp changes the Lakers’ championship hopes will only be answered once the games begin. But if there was any doubt about who is leading the franchise into its next era, Doncic has already made that clear long before training camp tips off.