Overview
- Dončić is footing travel and lodging costs for nearly the entire Los Angeles Lakers roster for a roughly five-day minicamp that begins Thursday in Ljubljana.
- The agenda pairs structured on-court work and pickup games with off-court activities such as gift bags, dinner at Dončić’s favorite restaurant, fishing on Lake Bled, and likely golf.
- Rookie Cameron Carr is the only confirmed nonparticipant because he must attend the NBA’s mandatory rookie orientation, while other new and returning players are expected to attend.
- Team members and outlets describe the trip as a leadership move by Dončić to accelerate chemistry after major offseason roster turnover and LeBron James’ departure.
- The minicamp also serves as a short break from intense media focus on the Lakers’ ownership change and ongoing Buss family dispute by keeping players out of that environment for several days.