The NBA season is still a long way off, but for some of the league’s most anticipated teams, the work has already begun. And the most interesting images from the past few hours have come, rather curiously, from two very different sides of the new chapter for the Lakers and LeBron James.
On one side, Luka Doncic has brought the Lakers to Slovenia for four days primarily focused on building the new group. On the other, LeBron has started working out with Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxeygiving Sixers fans an early glimpse of what we could see next season.
Doncic brings the Lakers home: minicamp in Slovenia
The new era for the Lakers is beginning a long way from Los Angeles. The team has arrived in Slovenia to take part in the minicamp organized by Luka Doncicscheduled for Aug. 20-24.
Workouts, scrimmages, golf and time together off the court: the goal certainly isn’t to be fully ready for October, but rather to begin building the chemistry that will be crucial for a team that has undergone major changes.
And above all, there is a symbolic meaning that is difficult to ignore.
This is the Lakers’ first summer after LeBron Jamesand Doncic chose to begin it by bringing his teammates directly to his home country. The first images from the minicamp show Luka already working with the group, including a funny moment with Jarred Vanderbilt that quickly went viral.
LeBron, Brown and Maxey: first workouts for the new Sixers
While his former teammates are in Slovenia, LeBron James has already begun building his new chapter in Philadelphia.
Images from the first workout featuring LeBron, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxeythree of the key pieces in the Sixers’ new project, became public in recent hours. The workout took place in Los Angeles under the direction of trainer Chris Johnson.
Obviously, it’s August, and there’s no way to know from a few workouts in a gym how Philadelphia will actually function.
But after a summer in which the Sixers completely reshaped the balance of power in the Eastern Conference, finally seeing LeBron, Brown and Maxey on the same court makes everything feel a little more real.
The biggest absence from the images is Joel Embiid. And it’s precisely the center’s presence alongside the other three that makes Philadelphia one of the most fascinating experiments of next season.
Harden stays in Cleveland and surpasses $500 million
The player who has already settled his future is James Harden. The veteran has reached a new three-year, $97 million deal with Clevelandincluding a player option and trade kicker. NBA.com lists the agreement among the major moves officially completed in recent hours.
The new contract also allows Harden to reach another impressive milestone: more than $500 million earned in his career through NBA contracts alone. An extremely exclusive club that also includes LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry.
That’s all for today. NBA News by Dunkest returns tomorrow with another recap and all the latest news from around the NBA.