Team Slovenia small forward Gregor Hrovat (15) checks on small forward Luka Doncic (77) after he braced himself against the plexiglass after attempting to save a ball going out of bounds against France during the fourth quarter in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Saitama Super Arena.
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The Los Angeles Lakers remain united heading into the 2026-27 NBA season. The whole team, minus rookie Cameron Carr, is in Slovenia, where franchise superstar Luka Doncic is hosting his teammates.
However, not everything remains at peace. His teammate and veteran Slovenian center Alen Omic recently opened up about wanting the miscommunication between the two parties to end soon.
“No, he did not speak,” Omic recently said when asked whether Doncic gave some motivational words to the Slovenian team, via Ekipa. “He has his obligations. We leave him alone; he leaves us alone. Let him sort out what he needs to do. I hope this all ends as soon as possible, so that he can come help the national team.”
Lakers visited Luka Dončić renovated childhood court.
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“But we need everyone; it's not just about him. I think Žiga Samar will come tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, but I don't know about Kunec, he seems to be injured. Every player is welcome. But it's true that I, who am the oldest, expect even more from everyone,” he further added.
The timeline of the trip to Doncic's homeland and the absence of clear communication with the national team is complicated.
The Slovenian basketball team is preparing for the 2027 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers. And while Doncic was out there having fun with his LA teammates, the team recently lost to Montenegro 85-78 on Saturday.
On the other hand, the Lakers brigade is having an outing while doing “team bonding.” The Lakers were seen playing golf, enjoying a kayaking ride, and multiple other group activities.
After announcing that he wanted to dedicate most of his offseason to his daughters, Doncic hasn't been active much. The six-time NBA All-Star is in a complicated legal battle for child custody with his ex-partner, Anamaria Goltes.
While she dropped the child support case earlier this month, a final settlement between the two former partners has not been reached.
And while team bonding with a restructured roster is crucial before the new season, Doncic has his national team waiting for him to decide how he will handle his team duties.