Luka Doncic’s biggest offseason investment isn’t another workout—it’s four days with nearly his entire Los Angeles Lakers roster in his home country of Slovenia before training camp begins. But while 16 teammates are expected to make the trip, one notable name won’t be boarding the chartered flight.

Cameron Carr, the Lakers’ first-round rookie, will miss the player-organized retreat because of a mandatory NBA commitment. For a team placing heavy emphasis on chemistry after an offseason overhaul, the timing is far from ideal.

As NBA insider Marc Stein reported, Carr is the lone player absent because he is required to attend the league’s official Rookie Transition Program, preventing what otherwise would have been full attendance for Doncic’s “team bonding trip.”

Doncic has personally chartered a private plane and is covering every player’s travel expenses for the four-day retreat, which will feature basketball workouts, golf outings, sightseeing around Ljubljana and player-only bonding before JJ Redick opens training camp. Stein reported that “16 of the 17 players” committed to attend, with Carr becoming the lone exception because of the scheduling conflict.

Carr’s absence is not a personal decision. The NBA’s Rookie Transition Program is a mandatory four-day onboarding program jointly run by the league and the National Basketball Players Association. First introduced in 1986, the program focuses on financial literacy, mental health, media training, league policies and career development before rookies begin training camp.

The commitment carries real weight. Under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, missing the Rookie Transition Program without an approved excuse can trigger an automatic five-game regular-season suspension, making attendance effectively non-negotiable. That leaves Carr with little choice but to sit out one of the Lakers’ biggest offseason chemistry-building events.

Why the Slovenia Trip Matters for the Lakers

Missing the trip is particularly unfortunate given Carr’s projected role. The 24th overall pick averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game during his sophomore season at Baylor while shooting 37.4% from beyond the arc. At his introductory press conference, Carr made his priorities clear: “First things first, play defense, I feel like I’ve got to show that I’m the best defender here.” With a 7-foot-1 wingspan and two-way potential, he is expected to compete for perimeter minutes alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves once training camp begins.

The retreat also reflects Doncic’s growing leadership role within the Lakers. According to ESPN and The Athletic, he personally organized the four-day gathering, chartered the team’s flight and covered every player’s travel and accommodation costs. The itinerary combines basketball workouts with golf, sightseeing around Ljubljana and team dinners, giving a heavily reshaped roster time to build relationships before official practices begin. Coaches are not expected to attend, keeping the trip entirely player-driven.

Building chemistry has become especially important after Los Angeles reshaped much of its supporting cast around Doncic this offseason. With several newcomers expected to play meaningful roles, the organization enters training camp needing players to develop trust and familiarity as quickly as possible.

There is recent precedent for why those extra days together matter. Before the Lakers’ 2019-20 championship season, LeBron James organized a player-only minicamp in Las Vegas to help integrate Anthony Davis and establish roles within a newly built roster. The Dallas Mavericks also credited a preseason trip to the United Arab Emirates before their run to the 2024 NBA Finals for strengthening trust within the group. While every team is different, player-led gatherings have repeatedly become important building blocks before successful seasons.

Carr now becomes the only member of the current roster unable to take part in those four days of on-court work and off-court bonding. Instead, his first extended opportunity to build chemistry with Doncic and the rest of the group will come when training camp officially opens later this year.

Missing the Slovenia retreat may delay Carr’s first opportunity to connect with his new teammates away from the spotlight, but it doesn’t change why he’s absent. League rules leave no room for flexibility when it comes to the Rookie Transition Program, making the scheduling conflict unavoidable. Once that obligation is complete, the rookie’s focus will shift to earning his place alongside Doncic when training camp begins.