This season feels like it’s the real start for Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers. After joining the LA side in a blockbuster mid-season trade, he has spent months trying to fit into the JJ Redick-led system, while bonding with his new teammates. Now, with a whole summer behind him, the chemistry between Doncic and the rest of the roster looks significantly different! It was recently on display, with Rui Hachimura candidly expressing how things have changed.

Hachimura told the reporters about Doncic, “He’s fine, he’s just being around—we’re always messing around with each other.” The forward also spoke about how age and experience in the game have influenced their relationship. “But yeah, I always forget that he’s younger than me. It’s crazy. He’s like 25. Right? 26? I’m 27. He’s been in the league for a while. He’s been around a lot longer than me,” the Lakers star admitted.

The relevant top-level NBA experience shows up when the ball is in play. Rui Hachimura added, “He teaches me a lot of stuff. He always wants to communicate with me about what he wants me to do on the floor when he’s doing this and that.” To outsiders, it might sound normal, but this follows Luka Doncic’s leadership role that has been evident since EuroBasket, and his active communication has helped players like Hachimura adapt to his tempo.

This united front might just be what the Lakers were missing in their disappointing playoff loss last season. Beyond the court, the Lakers duo’s bond seems to be stronger than ever. Rui Hachimura told reporters with a grin, “We also talk about fun stuff, some random stuff… He loves Serbian music, so we always talk about how bad Serbian music is. And I always listen to Afrobeats, so he always says Afrobeats is bad. So we’re trying to compete.”

It’s a glimpse into a friendship that mixes competitiveness and respect, something that helps break the monotony of training camp. In the Lakers’ culture, which JJ Redick tried to energize last year, this kind of rapport is critical. Last year’s squad had to deal with the departure of a beloved presence in Anthony Davis while also working to integrate Luka Doncic into their system.

This lighthearted revelation from Hachimura came just days after he deemed his game to be “easy” alongside the likes of Luka and LeBron, who gather most of the attention on the court. What does that do? It leaves the 27-year-old open. He led the Lakers in points off cuts at 2.4 last season, per Raj Chipalu of Silver Screen and Roll.

The ongoing preseason feels different because conversations aren’t just about numbers and production, but also about the more minor, lighthearted things in life, such as music and hobbies, while keeping everyone’s spirits high.

Luka Doncic ‘Drives’ a Unique Team Surprise for a Special Reason

Luka Doncic surprised his teammates recently by personally arranging for the Lakers to visit the Porsche Driving Experience in Southern California. “On his own dime,” as confirmed by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. They spent the afternoon racing GT3s and 911s! The goal of this activity was to give everyone wearing the Purple and Gold jersey a breather from their daily basketball routine.

“Well, certainly the Lakers expect to have him (Doncic) on the court for maybe two or even three of their remaining four preseason games,” McMenamin confirmed.

“Part of what Luka lamented at the end of last year was that there wasn’t enough practice time for this team, and there wasn’t enough time for them just to get to know one another and build that camaraderie. And so he’s taken it upon himself to work on that,” the NBA reporter continued.

The Porsche experience was his way of changing that narrative, shifting the team dynamic from transactional to personal. In addition to the afternoon outing, “This summer, him and about a half dozen of his teammates went out to Las Vegas to the Sphere to see a Backstreet Boys concert,” McMenamin revealed.

These are the kind of gestures that resonate and build bonds, and for a Lakers squad looking to establish itself as a true contender, it might just be the X-factor.