The Lakers Outside the European Championship: Jenny cheers, James Doncic joins hands to find a new chapter

On August 28, the 2025 Men's Basketball European Championship was in full swing. On the eve of the Slovenia and Poland, the basketball story off the court was also exciting. Lakers' beautiful boss Jenny Bass and general manager Pelinka went to Poland in person to cheer for Doncic, who played for Slovenia, which shows how important the Lakers attach to this star. At the same time, a news leaked by Lakers reporters has caused heated discussions among fans: Doncic does not want the Lakers to trade James, and Doncic will take on the main offense in the new season, while James will focus on off-ball and defense.

Retracing the trading deadline of last season, Pelinka and Mavericks general manager Harrison reached a heavy-duty deal that shocked the basketball world. The Lakers gave away chips such as Thick Brow and Christie, successfully ushering in Doncic. During this offseason, the Lakers decisively renewed the three-year, $165 million maximum salary contract with Doncic in advance, officially announcing the beginning of the "Doncic era" and regard him as the team's new facade.

According to an article by Lakers reporter Anthony Irwin, James never made a deal or buyout request throughout the summer. League sources said that although Doncic does not want the team to send James away, he also understands that James needs to carefully consider the choices that are most beneficial to him in his twilight years of his career. Doncic and James have always maintained close communication during the summer to explore how to enable the two to achieve their maximum potential in cooperation. Several sources revealed that James has made targeted changes for the new season, focusing on improving his ability to threaten without the ball. He devoted a lot of time to practice offensive skills that can catch and shoot, and at the same time actively cared for his body, striving to invest more energy on the defensive end, and fully cooperated with Doncic's main offensive tactics. Outside the stadium, an interesting little episode also attracted a lot of attention. Reporter Arash Markazi reported that the recent billboard of Doncic's endorsement game "Overwatch" appeared not far from the Mavericks' home court. This incident caused dissatisfaction from the Mavericks' management and demanded that the billboard be moved from its original location because it felt that it was too close to the stadium. Although this incident is small, it also reflects the delicate relationship between star commercial endorsement and team interests from the perspective of the situation.

Now, Doncic is fighting for the Slovenian team in the European Championship, and the Lakers, far away from the ocean, are looking forward to the arrival of the new season. The combination of Doncic and James is undoubtedly the biggest highlight of the Lakers in the new season. One is a superstar who is in his year of playing and has rich offensive methods, and the other is a legendary veteran with a long-standing battle and rich experience. How the cooperation between the two will rewrite the fate of the Lakers is highly anticipated by fans. In the new season, Doncic focuses on off-ball and defense. Can such a tactical arrangement allow the Lakers to stand out in the fiercely competitive NBA and move back to the top? Jenny Bass and Pelinka went to Poland to cheer for Doncic, can it bring good luck to the Lakers? All the answers will be gradually revealed in the new season. The small storm caused by Doncic's endorsement billboard also added a different color to this story-filled basketball summer.