go ahead guys what would you say the big difference was uh just our energy uh I think we shared the ball really well uh we were knocking down shots uh we were open shots so uh just our sharing the ball and our energy was great what do you think uh okay um okay moving on a good time home that's not life uh obviously you weren't able to get in a rhythm in in uh in game one why do you think you you were able to get rolling pretty much right out of the bat tonight uh just mentality you know I think today was one of the hardest game I I had to play uh you know I'm battling out there I try to do my best to help the team win uh but just my mentality you know uh have a great start uh and then teams going to follow me so uh they follow me and Kai and we got to do that after an impressive NBA Finals run last season falling just short against the Celtics the Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for another shot at the championship with a new season on the horizon the team recently held a mini camp in Los Angeles notably a few key players including Kyrie Irving were missing due to injuries and Klay Thompson joined the camp as a veteran presence however Luca Don's absence has raised eyebrows especially with swirling trade rumors linking him to the Lakers so what's the real story behind Luca missing the camp it's important to note that Luca donic has been overseas with his family recuperating after playing in the Olympic qualifiers given his packed schedule and recent Fitness concerns his absence from the camp isn't all that surprising as Mark Ste reported the mini camp was primarily for Maverick's players based in the US donit and Dwight Powell fresh off the Olympics with Team Canada were not expected to attend instead Luca made an appearance in Luana participating in the night of the Dragon charity game alongside players like Nicola yic and boban marjanovich honoring Slovenian basketball legend Goran dragic despite not being with his M's teammates donic is still keeping active albeit in a less rigorous capacity the trade rumors surrounding Luca donic and the Lakers have certainly fueled speculation but is there any substance to these rumors the Lakers off season has been relatively quiet focusing on strategic signings and a new head coach JJ reic they locked in Max Christie to a 4-year $32 million deal and brought in Dalton neck and bronny James through the 2024 NBA draft with LeBron James nearing the end of his career it makes sense that the Lakers would be thinking about the future and potential bigname Acquisitions however let's be realistic about the possibility of Luca joining the Lakers according to Bobby Marx from ESPN Luca is eligible for a record-breaking $346.66 contract with the Mavericks the largest in NBA history Dallas is in a strong position to retain him offering a financial package that no other team can match even though the Lakers have a history of pulling off Blockbuster moves that doesn't mean Luca is ready to jump ship so how could the Lakers actually land Luca donic the answer lies in financial maneuvering and strategic planning if LeBron James plays out his remaining contract and Anthony Davis signs a new deal around the start of the 2026-27 season the Lakers could free up significant cap space this would allow them to make a serious offer for Dage additionally should the Maverick's performance decline especially with Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson aging Luca might reconsider his options the NBA has seen stars move through trades rather than free agency recently and Luca could be the next big name on the move if Dallas struggles but any potential trade hinges on Luca's willingness to leave the Mavericks a team he has led from the ground up right now it's clear that Luca is committed to his mission with Dallas even as he admires players like LeBron James in conclusion while the idea of Luca donic joining the Lakers is exciting and would be a game Cher for La it's still a long shot the Lakers would need everything to align perfectly from Financial flexibility to Luca's desire for a new challenge but as we know in the World of Sports anything is possible what do you think Lakers fans could we see Luca in purple and gold someday thank you for tuning in to Lakers news Squad be sure to subscribe and stay with us as we continue to bring you the latest news analysis and insights on your favorite team go Lakers