Luka Doncic’s Slovenia Trip Brought Together Retooled Lakers, Reveals Brian Windhorst

Luka Doncic had hosted a four-day training camp in Slovenia for his Lakers teammates in the summer.

Luka Doncic’s Slovenia Trip Brought Together Retooled Lakers, Reveals Brian Windhorst

Luka Doncic (Image via Barstool Sports/X)

Luka Doncic has officially been handed the keys to the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the new campaign. Following the departure of LeBron James after eight years, Doncic is finally ready to lead the purple and gold in the post-James era.

The 27-year-old was traded from the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline last year in one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. Although he wanted to play for the Mavs for the rest of his career, he has found a new home with the Lakers.

The Slovenian star has been one of the league’s best players over the last few years and finished fourth in the MVP race last season. However, he missed the entire playoffs due to injury and saw his team get clean swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round.

Heading into his second full season with the Lakers, Doncic has been handed the leadership role following James’ exit. During the summer, he hosted a four-day training camp for his Lakers teammates in his home country. It was an opportunity for the team to bond with one another, as Doncic has made his intentions clear before the 2026-27 campaign.

NBA insider Brian Windhorst spoke about how Doncic bonded with his teammates during their four-day training camp in Slovenia.

Luka wanted this. He didn’t want this to be like where a team is in Miami, they get together for a workout and they may have a team dinner. Luka wanted all of them together and so all the meals were together. What made him happy was when there was on day 3 like a block of like five hours which was for a nap, the guys stayed together.

Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective

There is no doubt that Luka Doncic is the face of the franchise. The Lakers management promised to build their roster around their star guard and have delivered in the offseason. While the new-look roster has received mixed reactions, Doncic is content with what he has around him as the new season gets underway next month.

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Brian Windhorst on the vibes of the Lakers after Media Day

The Lakers have undergone some big changes both on and off the court. They saw a change in ownership in the summer as Mark Walter sold the organization for $12.5 billion to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger.

Meanwhile on the court, the Lakers enter the new season with a new-look roster. While some are optimistic about their current roster, some believe that they are overrated and will be underwhelming next season.

With less than a month to go until the new season, Brian Windhorst said there was a lot of excitement around Luka Doncic and the Lakers after their Media Day on Monday.

Man were the vibes high yesterday. If you needed Luka to do you a favor, or forgive a debt, yesterday was the day to ask. He was so excited. He was excited with where the team is and its going to be a mountain to climb. Every single guy was talking about the trip to Slovenia. They all stayed together.

Brian Windhorst on ESPN Today

The Lakers may not be the favorites to win the championship next year, but Doncic has his eyes set on his goal. He looks fitter than ever and is ready to impress the NBA world next season.

Luka Doncic on his first practice with the Lakers heading into the 2026-27 campaign

Luka Doncic got what he wanted in terms of roster construction. While the vibes surrounding their newly constructed roster is very high, it remains to be seen how they will gel together on the court.

'Skinny' Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic (Image via Polymarket Hoops/X)

After his first practice session, Doncic spoke about how long it will take for them to build their team chemistry.

I honestly don’t know. Some things [we’re] going to figure out quicker, some things are going to figure out later…I feel like we had a great first practice. A lot of teaching points. So I think it was a great practice.

Luka Doncic in his media scrum

Luka Doncic is committed to familiarizing himself with his teammates and building chemistry alongside them, one step at a time. The Lakers get their 2026-27 campaign underway against the Golden State Warriors on October 21.

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