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Luka Doncic to Host Entire Lakers Roster in Slovenia: Report
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new era without LeBron James, following the NBA legend's departure for free agency after eight years with the team.
With Luka Doncic now the team's new franchise player and several offseason moves, he's looking to a unique way to build team chemistry and hone their skills on the basketball court.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin (via sources), Doncic is reportedly hosting the entire roster in Slovenia for a four-day minicamp next month. In addition to workouts, the players will golf and tour Doncic's home area of Ljubljana, along with other team-bonding activities.
The news arrives several weeks after the Lakers made several moves to upgrade their roster, following the departure of King James. The team signed guard Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million maximum contract last month to ensure the return of their rising star in the backcourt.
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The team also attempted to make a serious upgrade to their frontcourt after their one season trying out Deandre Ayton. They landed Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade deal that included future assets, and the former Utah Jazz big man then signed a four-year $130 million contract with the Lakers.
Los Angeles sent Ayton to the Washington Wizards for several future picks and guard Jaden Hardy. The team signed Quentin Grimes in free agency to a four-year, $60 million contract, putting him in the starting lineup amid the departure of Marcus Smart.
Other offseason moves included adding Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Ziaire Williams to the roster. In the NBA Draft, they selected Baylor guard Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick.
With the above moves, it makes a lot of sense that Doncic would want to bond with new teammates, especially in the Western Conference. It's now become his team, and they'll seek to contend with the likes of the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City in the conference, the latter of whom eliminated them in four games in the postseason.
Doncic missed the NBA Playoffs due to his late-season injury and watched his teammates, including James, advance past the Houston Rockets in the first round. However, without Doncic in the lineup, they didn't have enough to contend with OKC.
This roster retool may have resolved that issue, and if the team can remain healthy, it'll be interesting to see how well they fare in the first season after James left.
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