"I've some decisions to make"- Luka Doncic shoots down questions on playing in Olympic qualifiers after NBA Finals loss
Luka Doncic seems uncertain about playing in the upcoming 2024 Olympic qualifiers. The Slovenian has participated in international tournaments in the past three NBA offseasons, including the Tokyo Olympics, 2022 EuroBasket and 2023 FIBA World Cup.
However, Doncic didn't have a deep playoff run as he did this year. With the Mavericks making the finals and playing deep into the season until mid-June, Doncic has decisions to make about his participation.
“I don't want to talk about what's next, man," Doncic told reporters about playing in Olympic qualifiers (via ESPN's Tim McMahon).
"I have some decisions to make. I'm just trying to get a little bit healthier."
Doncic enjoyed a relatively healthy 2023-24 NBA regular season. He played 70 games, the most since his rookie year, after a grueling FIBA World Cup campaign, in which he played eight times. He added to his tally with 22 postseason appearances.
Doncic spent most of the playoffs dealing with multiple injuries. He sustained a knee injury in the first round of the playoffs against the LA Clippers, followed by an ankle issue against the OKC Thunder in the conference semis. Doncic endured a chest injury in the NBA Finals, which he played through for four out of five games.
With close to no time off during the past three offseasons, Luka Doncic may finally decide to take a break from basketball and focus on his conditioning for the next NBA season.
Slovenia will begin its Olympic qualifiers against Croatia on Jul. 2 and play on Jul. 4 against New Zealand in Greece. If Slovenia wins the group, it will advance to the semis on Jul. 6. Advancing beyond the final four stages will see it play the final on Jul. 7.
Slovenia could play another six games if it qualifies for the Olympics and advances beyond the quarter-finals. Luka Doncic could end his basketball calendar year with 102 games played if he decides to make himself available for the qualifiers and Olympics.
Luka Doncic refuses to blame injuries for NBA Finals loss
While Luka Doncic admitted he needs to get healthier this offseason, he refused to blame injuries as a cause of the Dallas Mavericks' NBA Finals loss. He averaged a series-high 29.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.6 steals, shooting on 47/24/59 splits.
"It doesn't matter if I was hurt, how much I was hurt," Doncic said after the game. "I was out there trying to play. But I didn't do enough."
While Doncic's offensive output remained elite, his defense in all games wasn't up to the mark, barring Games 4 and 5. Some even blamed his high usage rate and isolation play as cause for Dallas' struggles.
Doncic also didn't look 100% healthy, especially toward the end of games after logging in heavy minutes. Some of it came down to his pre-existing injuries, but he downplayed concerns around that after Monday's Game 5 loss.