The 2026-27 Los Angeles Lakers will epitomize the term, "New-look roster." Los Angeles parted with three of its five starters, as well as eight of the 13 players who finished the season with the Lakers and averaged at least 10.0 minutes per game.
Thankfully, franchise player Luka Doncic is playing an active role in ensuring that the moving pieces fall into place by hosting his teammates in Slovenia for a four-day minicamp.
Doncic, 27, was acquired by the Lakers to become the new face of the franchise. With LeBron James moving on to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, that change appears to have officially taken hold, with Doncic embracing his role as the leader of the team.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Doncic has organized a Lakers minicamp in his home country of Slovenia that will span four days and include basketball and off-court activities.
Luka Doncic is hosting the entire Los Angeles Lakers roster in Slovenia for a four-day minicamp in August, a source close to the Lakers told ESPN. The itinerary will include workouts, golf and some Ljubljana tourism and bonding ahead of training camp.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 29, 2026
With the Lakers overhauling their rotation, Doncic embracing the burden of leadership and rallying the proverbial troops proves that he's ready to be the stabilizing force for his team—again.
Luka Doncic is embracing leadership role, invites teammates to Slovenia
There are dots to connect between Doncic's current tactic and what transpired in 2023. Tim Cato of The Athletic wrote in 2024 about a preseason trip that Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks took to Abu Dhabi and Madrid prior to the 2023-24 season, noting how much closer it made the team and its stars.
The Mavericks went on to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years and came within three wins of an elusive championship.
It's far too soon to project a similar level of success for the Lakers, but a tried and true approach to team building is always worth revisiting. For Los Angeles, it may even border on essential, as they've made drastic changes to a now almost unrecognizable roster.
For instance: Seven of the Lakers' top nine players in minutes per game during the 2026 NBA Playoffs have since signed with new teams.
Thankfully, Doncic is going to great lengths to create chemistry between teammates who will face the instant pressure to contend in 2026-27. That includes potential new starters Quentin Grimes, Walker Kessler, and Sandro Mamukelashvili, as well as pivotal additions to the second unit such as Cameron Carr and Collin Sexton.
Only time will tell how much of an impact this trip will have, but Doncic's past success with such a tactic should have Lakers fans intrigued by the potential.
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