NBA Notes: Lakers, Luka Doncic, Pelicans, Derik Queen, Mavericks

Lakers

Luka Doncic needed only one word to describe the Lakers’ revamped roster: “Happy.”

As Ryan Ward of Lakers On SI relayed, Doncic offered that assessment after organizing and funding a team minicamp in his native Slovenia.

Now, “happy” won’t necessarily help the Lakers defend a pick-and-roll. But the trip represented another meaningful step for Doncic as the face of the franchise. Newcomers Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler and Sandro Mamukelashvili were among those who got an early opportunity to build chemistry away from Los Angeles.

Doncic also said he would be a golfer if he weren’t playing basketball, and that golf is the only sport in which Austin Reaves can beat him. For now, anyway.

The basketball questions will come soon enough. As team-building exercises go, though, having your superstar arrange a trip to Slovenia seems like a decent start.

Pelicans

Derik Queen produced some eye-opening numbers as a rookie, including a 33-point triple-double and a 30-point, 22-rebound performance. The Pelicans lost both games.

Queen averaged 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 81 appearances, but David Grubb of Pelicans On SI suggested his next step is learning how to make those numbers matter more.

Queen appears to understand that. He recalled initially believing several defensive breakdowns against Indiana weren’t his fault. Then he watched the video.

“Film don’t lie,” Queen said.

Neither do New Orleans’ 1-10 record when Queen scored at least 20 points. Of course, that hardly means Queen was the reason for those losses. He was a 21-year-old rookie playing for an injured team that changed coaches.

The growth will come through defense, quicker decisions and learning to contribute without dominating the ball. With Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Jeremiah Fears and Bennedict Mathurin around him, Queen won’t need to be James Harden. He’ll need to become a more complete Derik Queen.

Mavericks

Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington and Moussa Cisse could see the biggest role changes in Dallas, Austin Veazey of Mavericks On SI wrote.

Kyrie Irving’s return should allow Flagg to spend more time as a secondary creator after being forced into a major ball-handling role as a rookie. That could actually suit him better.

Washington faces increased competition for minutes in a crowded frontcourt, while Cisse could either play early if Dereck Lively II isn’t ready or disappear behind Daniel Gafford, Santi Aldama and rookie Morez Johnson Jr.

New coaches always talk about fresh starts. New coach Dusty May will eventually have to decide what that means for the actual rotation.