The Chris Mannix feature for Sports Illustrated lands with Los Angeles under two weeks from tip-off against the Golden State Warriors and the franchise visibly rebuilt around the Slovenian guard. “These are Luka’s Lakers now,” Mannix writes.

LeBron James left in free agency, signing a two-year, roughly $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in June. For the first time since 2017-18, the Lakers enter a season without him. The purple-and-gold mantle, held by Kobe Bryant and then James, now sits on Luka Doncic.

Doncic arrived in Los Angeles in February 2025 in a trade from Dallas that still ranks among the most jarring in NBA history. In his first full season he led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game, won his second scoring title, finished fourth in MVP voting and dragged the Lakers to 53 wins before a grade 2 hamstring strain ended his year during a second-round sweep by Oklahoma City.

‘Rather play seven Game 7s than do this interview stuff’

The SI feature leans into the paradox of a franchise face who does not want to be famous.

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“I just want to play basketball. Fame, that comes with it,” Doncic tells Mannix.

His manager Lara Beth Seager puts it more bluntly.

“He would rather play in seven Game 7s than do this interview stuff.”

The piece traces him back to Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital of around 290,000, and to the eighth-floor apartment overlooking a set of basketball courts where he grew up. His father Saša was a 6’7″ wing who won two Slovenian national championships; Doncic himself signed with Real Madrid at 13 and now speaks four languages, including Spanish he says he picked up “fluently in three months.”

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Doncic’s fingerprints on the summer roster

General manager Rob Pelinka tells Mannix that Doncic had “fingerprints on” the summer rebuild. The Lakers re-signed Austin Reaves on a four-year, $185 million deal, traded two first-round picks and two pick swaps to Utah for 7’2″ center Walker Kessler, and added Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Head coach JJ Redick, now in his third year, is already preparing to use his star differently. Redick told SI that he and Doncic have discussed playing him off-ball more often this season.

“This means the best version of him as a leader,” Redick said of the step he wants from Doncic.

Pelinka framed the shift in similar terms.

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“This is a big platform, and it requires big shoulders,” he told SI.

Doncic back lighter after summer reset

Doncic has told fans he is “100% healthy” after the hamstring strain, and reports back lighter after a summer of cut carbs and intermittent fasting. The Lakers list him at 230 pounds.

The 2026-27 regular season opens at home against Stephen Curry and the Warriors on Wednesday, October 21. Tip-off at Crypto.com Arena is at 7pm local time, with the game airing on ESPN.

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