The Los Angeles Lakers revamped their roster this offseason, embracing Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise.
LeBron James left in free agency after eight seasons and one championship. He signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year deal.
The Lakers will have 10 new players for next season, and Doncic already hosted a minicamp in Slovenia last month to build chemistry.
New Lakers Forward on Luka Doncic’s Slovenia Camp
One of the Los Angeles Lakers’ top signings in free agency is Sandro Mamukelashvili, who signed a four-year, $52 million deal after a breakout season with the Toronto Raptors.
Speaking to ESPN LA recently, Mamukelashvili opened up about his experience from the Slovenia minicamp. He shared an honest statement regarding how Luka Doncic welcomed the team to his home country and took care of everything.
“First of all, shoutout to Luka,” Mamukelashvili said, via New York Post. “I think the organization was amazing, the way they planned everything. They showed us a lot of great places, and Ljubljana is a really, really nice city.”
“Plus, it was great for the new team,” he added. “It was a bunch of new guys on the team, and you know, all of us being together, it didn’t even feel like it was a lot of new guys.”
The Lakers will begin training camp on September 29, while their first preseason game is scheduled for October 5 against the Sacramento Kings. They will play five preseason games before opening the 2026-27 season at Crypto.com Arena and welcoming the Golden State Warriors.
Former Lakers Guard on Luka Doncic’s Leadership
In a separate interview with ESPN LA, former Los Angeles Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic shared his take on Luka Doncic’s second full season for the purple and gold franchise.
Vujacic feels pretty happy with his Slovenian compatriot’s leadership finally showing up, which he pointed to their recent minicamp.
“It’s been there, and what Luka has been doing, he’s showing the leadership,” Vujacic said, via USA Today. “I’m very excited about this year. I think he’s finally a Laker, Laker, and him and (Austin Reaves) and the team that we have, I can’t wait to watch it.”
“And for him to bring the team to Slovenia to show them where he comes from, to show everybody what Slovenia is all about,” the two-time champ added. “I think they have a better understanding of what it means for him to be in L.A. and through his journey how important it is to win. So, that’s always great to see.”
Doncic certainly can call the Lakers his team following the departure of LeBron James. He’s now in the driver’s seat full-time, so there’s pressure on him and the franchise to perform better next season.
New Lakers Forward Makes Honest Luka Doncic Statement After Slovenia Visit