Luka Doncic is bringing the Lakers together in Slovenia this month, but rookie Cameron Carr won’t be on the plane.
Marc Stein reported that Doncic has chartered the trip himself and is covering the full cost for every Lakers teammate to travel to his native Slovenia from Aug. 20 to Aug. 24. Stein said 16 of the 17 players on the roster not named Doncic have already committed to go, with Carr the lone exception because of a conflict with official NBA rookie orientation.
“League sources say it would have been 17 of 17 if just-drafted swingman Cameron Carr wasn’t required to participate in an official NBA rookie orientation that conflicts with what Doncic is calling a ‘team bonding trip,'” Stein added.
The itinerary is supposed to include workouts, golf, touring Ljubljana and time built around team bonding. Doncic has clearly been eager to host his new teammates and shared that excitement himself.
“I can’t wait for my teammates to come to Ljubljana,” Doncic wrote. “I’m looking forward to the time together and excited to show them where I’m from.
Grateful every day for all your support. Hope you’re having a great summer.
See you soon.”
Carr will miss the trip, but he’s still expected to be part of the group when the Lakers gather for training camp later on. The 21-year-old has had a solid start with Los Angeles since the team acquired his rights after the New York Knicks selected him with the No. 24 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
In the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer Leagues, Carr averaged 17.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.7 blocks per game for the Lakers. His outside shot was uneven in Las Vegas, but he knocked down 40.9% of his threes in California.
The shooting form is there, and if that perimeter touch holds, Carr has a path to a long career. For now, though, the Lakers are keeping his job description simple. A Lakers front office executive said Carr will have to earn his minutes because of the team’s depth, though the same executive expects him to get an opportunity early since he is a worker.
His role should be straightforward: defend and knock down open looks. With Doncic handling the bigger responsibilities, the Lakers won’t ask Carr to carry more than that.
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