As the Lakers move on from the franchise’s LeBron James era, they understood many things would depart with the league’s all-time leading scorer.
asserted
things → move → scorer
James’ guidance, and his two-decades-plus of playing experience in the NBA, can’t be replicated.
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guidance → replicate → NBA
But the Lakers are ready for their current stars to step up as leaders in light of James’ departure.
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stars → step → departure
And Luka Doncic is ready to take that mantle as the Lakers fully entrench themselves in their next era.
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Lakers → take → era
If that wasn’t already clear, Doncic made it evident during the Lakers’ minicamp in his home country of Slovenia last month.
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it → make → Slovenia
“Probably the leadership role,” Doncic responded when asked what matters to him more now compared to five years ago toward the end of a 24-minute video posted on his YouTube page Friday about the camp in Slovenia.
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what → respond → Slovenia
Doncic added: “Trying to be a leader.
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Doncic → add → ?
I wasn’t the leader I was supposed to [be].
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I → suppose → ?
The Lakers already had an idea of what Doncic brought to the table in this regard since being traded to the franchise in February 2025.
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Doncic → have → February
Him treating his teammates to a Porsche Driving Experience in October 2025 during the preseason and surprising Lakers players, coaches and basketball operations staff with e-bikes as a Christmas present last year showcased his growth since arriving in Los Angeles.
But the Lakers got a closer look at what the team’s leadership could look like moving forward with Doncic as the face of the franchise.
uncertain
leadership → treat → franchise
The Slovenian superstar organized a five-day trip for his teammates, which included a chartered flight, multiple dining experiences at Doncic’s favorite restaurants, tours of the sights in Ljubljana (river cruise and Ljubljana Castle among them), golfing, rowing at Lake Bled and basketball activities.
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which → organize → Bled
His teammates raved about the experience.
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teammates → rave → experience
To the point where they wrote Doncic handwritten notes to show him their appreciation for the experience.
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they → write → experience
“I’m definitely coming back,” Collin Sexton said.
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Sexton → come → ?
“We had an amazing time.
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We → have → time
Luka, man, appreciate you for bringing us out to your country and taking us back where it all started.
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it → appreciate → us
Leadership will be paramount for the Lakers moving forward.
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Leadership → move → Lakers
James was among nine Lakers from the 2025-26 team who didn’t return for this upcoming season.
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who → return → season
Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia are the only four players from last season’s team who played at least 600 regular-season minutes that are returning for 2026-27.
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that → play → 2026
Coach JJ Redick stressed the importance of connectedness during Thursday’s joint availability with president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka.
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Redick → stress → Pelinka
In his eyes, the NBA’s best teams over the last six to seven years have also been the most connected teams.
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teams → connect → years
And because that isn’t a coincidence, that’ll be part of his messaging to the team throughout 2026-27 as Redick enters his third year as Lakers coach.
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Redick → enter → coach
“There were times last year, there were times my first year where the team was connected,” Redick said.
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Redick → be → ?
“I really believe this group is gonna be connected from Day 1.
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group → believe → Day
And they are, in part, because of Doncic stepping up as a leader.
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Doncic → step → leader
“There’s a lot of new guys on the team,” Doncic said.
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Doncic → ’ → team
“Building chemistry is very important.
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Building → build → chemistry
That was the first thought, just to get the guys together.
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That → get → guys
That’s why I wanted to do it.”
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I → ’ → it
The Aporia
