Luka Doncic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

International Notes: Slovenia, Doncic, Croatia, South Sudan, Siulepa

June 5th, 2024 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Slovenian national team has officially announced the 16 players who will make up its preliminary roster for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece next month (Twitter link). While the 16-man group features currently Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar and a couple other players with prior NBA experience (Zoran Dragic and Mike Tobey), the headliner is Mavericks guard Luka Doncic.

Slovenia obviously hopes that Doncic will be available to help the team try to claim one of the final four Olympic berths this summer, and the Mavs star said on Wednesday that he wants to do so, despite battling knee issues this spring, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets. Doncic still has one more series to get through, so his availability in Greece will presumably hinge on how he’s feeling at the conclusion of the NBA Finals.

Here’s more from around the international basketball world:

Croatia, which will be in Slovenia’s group at the qualifying tournament in Greece, has also announced a preliminary roster for that event. Warriors forward Dario Saric and Clippers center Ivica Zubac are among the 17 players who are candidates to make up the 12-man roster, while former NBA wing Mario Hezonja is one of the other notable names in that group.
South Sudan, which has already qualified for the Olympics based on its results at last year’s World Cup, revealed a 25-man preliminary roster for Paris (Twitter link). Some of the biggest names in the mix for roster spots include Bol Bol, Wenyen Gabriel, Thon Maker, JT Thor, and World Cup star Carlik Jones.
Seventeen-year-old Australian prospect Roman Siulepa is signing with the Tasmania JackJumpers as part of the National Basketball League’s Next Stars program, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Givony identifies Siulepa as one of the most promising international prospects in his age group, noting that the 6’7″ small forward has averaged 21.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in the second division of Australia’s NBL this season.

Mavs Notes: Doncic, Porzingis, Lively, Dumont, Washington

June 4th, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA player Chandler Parsons stated on FanDuel’s Run It Back program that Luka Doncic did not like playing with Kristaps Porzingis when the two were Mavericks teammates from 2019-22.

That’s news to Doncic, who denied there was any friction between him and the current Celtics big man.

“They’re wrong. I’ve talked to Chandler Parsons maybe twice in my life, so I don’t know how he would know this,” he said, per Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News. “Me and KP have a good relationship. I don’t know why people say these things.”

We have more from the Mavericks:

Remember when the league fined the Mavericks $750K for resting players during the second-to-last game last season, when they were still in the play-in hunt? It was worth the fine, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon notes, as they wound up drafting Dereck Lively II in the lottery at No. 12 after trading down. Dallas needed to make swift moves to build around Doncic and Kyrie Irving and the Mavs struck gold in the draft. The tank job was a transparent attempt by the Mavs to hang on to the top-10-protected pick they owed the Knicks as the final payment on the Porzingis blockbuster deal.
Patrick Dumont, the franchise’s majority shareholder, knew the team could be a contender this season. But he had no idea the Mavs would be in the Finals when the purchase from Mark Cuban was approved by the league’s Board of Governors in late December. “No, we were just very happy and honored to be able to be here,” Dumont told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “Like, we had no idea. But we knew this team would compete. And we’re very excited about the work they’ve put it in and the results. It’s phenomenal.”
P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford went from lottery teams prior to the trade deadline to now playing prominent roles on a Western Conference champion. Washington feels blessed to be in this position, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “I’m pretty sure he (Gafford) didn’t expect to be here, just like I didn’t,” Washington said. “It’s a lot of emotions coming from Charlotte and not really winning a lot of games to being in the Finals in a matter of months. It’s a quick turnaround and we’re just extremely grateful. We’re not taking anything for granted. As a kid, I never thought I’d be in the position that I’m in now.”
Lively developed quicker than coach Jason Kidd expected, Sefko writes in a separate story. “When we got Lively, we felt it was going to fill one of the holes that Luka was looking for, a vertical guy,” Kidd said. “You could see the future of him being the anchor of the defense. The future just happened to come a lot faster. He wanted that responsibility. Sometimes, young players will shy away from that. But he ran to it.”

Mavericks Notes: Jones, Kidd, Irving, Gafford

June 3rd, 2024 at 10:40am CST by Arthur Hill

The decision to sign with the Mavericks last summer has given Derrick Jones Jr. a chance to play in the NBA Finals, but he could been there with either team, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Jones confirmed to reporters on Sunday that he considered an offer from the Celtics before opting to go to Dallas.

Boston was looking for another wing to back up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but the Mavs gave Jones a chance to start and he has turned out to be a bargain on a one-year minimum deal. He will be back on the free agent market this summer and figures to earn a substantial raise after averaging a career-high 8.6 PPG in 76 games. He’ll more than make up for the money he lost when he decided to turn down a $3.3MM player option with the Bulls.

“I could have accepted my player option in Chicago and still be on the team that’s not in the playoffs right now,” Jones said. “I just decided to bet on myself. I took less money to come here, but the money wasn’t the problem. The money wasn’t the issue. I just wanted to have the opportunity to be on the floor and to showcase what I’m able to do, and it happened for me.”

There’s more from Dallas:

There was speculation that Jason Kidd might have been on the hot seat with an early playoff exit, but instead he’s in the NBA Finals and has a multiyear contract extension, notes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. The Mavericks‘ head coach is grateful to general manager Nico Harrison and new team governor Patrick Dumont for having faith in what he’s trying to build. “And for Nico and Patrick to see that with the extension before we even got past the first round,” Kidd said. “Understanding that they believed in what I could do, and they saw the impact I had on the guys. … It’s definitely a vote of confidence. I actually believed I was doing the right thing. If you looked at our roster, it got better. We all got better.”
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports examines the career paths of Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving and Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis, noting there was a time where they were nearly traded for each other. It happened before the 2019 deadline, when Irving was near the end of his tenure in Boston and New York was starting to explore deals involving Porzingis. The Mavericks killed the potential trade by offering the Knicks two first-round picks in exchange for Porzingis. Fischer also notes that the Celtics weren’t on Irving’s original list when he asked to be traded out of Cleveland. The Spurs, Knicks, Timberwolves and Heat were his preferred destinations.
Daniel Gafford had exploratory talks about joining the Slovenian national team as a naturalized player, but that won’t happen this summer, sources tell Marc Stein (Substack link). Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney will be part of Slovenia’s coaching staff for an Olympic qualifying tournament next month, and while Luka Doncic is expected to play, he won’t discuss his plans until the playoffs are done.
TNT analyst and former head coach Stan Van Gundy isn’t backing down from his claim that Irving and Doncic are “arguably the best offensive backcourt in the history of the NBA,” according to Howard Beck of The Ringer. Beck compares them to some historically great guard tandems to see how they stack up.

Mavericks Notes: Playoff Success, Irving, Doncic, Finals Matchup

May 31st, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks didn’t mind being under the radar when the playoffs started, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Dallas didn’t get much notice after going 50-32 and finishing as the No. 5 seed in the West, but the team was much more dangerous than its record indicated. The Mavs closed the regular season on a 15-1 run and were fully confident heading into the postseason, as Kyrie Irving explained after the team punched its ticket to the NBA Finals Thursday night.

“We’ve grown over the past few months,” Irving said. “This has been a journey for us. I like to think that being fifth took some pressure off of us coming into this postseason. Everybody was looking at the top three seeds, so I felt like we snuck in there a little bit and surprised a few teams. But the guys in the locker room have always had that utmost confidence in one another.”

The Mavericks’ journey from a lottery team last season to potential NBA champs was punctuated by a pair of deadline deals in February that brought in Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington. Combined with the addition of Dereck Lively II in last year’s draft, that created a versatile supporting cast around Irving and Luka Doncic.

“If you look at our regular season, I don’t think it tells the whole truth of who we are — or who we were,” Irving added. “I felt like the second half of the season, everybody got to kind of see what we were made of.”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

Minority team owner Mark Cuban believes Dallas was able to rejuvenate Irving “by listening to him and not telling him,” Marc Stein notes in a Substack column. There were plenty of doubters when the Mavs traded for Irving in February 2023 and again when they re-signed him last summer, but he and Doncic have figured out how to be successful together. The organization has created an ideal environment for Irving, Stein adds. Jason Kidd is a head coach he respects, general manger Nico Harrison was Irving’s longtime business partner at Nike, assistant coach God Shammgod is a close friend who works with Irving every day, and Markieff Morris is a trusted teammate who provides emotional support.
Doncic took control early in Game 5 and sent a message that the Mavericks were ready to close out the series, observes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. He finished with 36 points, his highest-scoring game of the playoffs, and 10 of those came in the first 2:33 of action. “It was Luka magic mode,” Kidd said. “He set the tone, and then he made it easier for everyone else. Everybody else stepped up.”
The Celtics will present a fresh matchup problem for the Mavericks in the Finals, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger points out that Dallas likes to keep its centers close to the basket, even if that means giving up three-point shots to opposing big men, but that’s a risky strategy against Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.

Luka Doncic Earns Western Finals MVP

May 30th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic has been named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference Finals, winning this year’s Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy, the NBA has announced (via Twitter).

Doncic was the unanimous choice, earning all nine media votes for the honor, the league revealed (Twitter link).

The 6’7″ guard just put the finishing touches on a five-game series win over the higher-seeded Timberwolves, scoring 36 points — including 20 in the first quarter — on 14-of-27 shooting from the floor in Thursday’s 124-103 Game 5 blowout victory. For good measure, Doncic logged 10 rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a +22 plus-minus. All-Star backcourt mate Kyrie Irving also finished with 36 points.

With the victory, Dallas advances to its first NBA Finals since 2011, when Doncic was 12 years old and current head coach Jason Kidd was the team’s starting point guard.

Through 17 playoff games so far, Doncic is averaging 28.8 points on a .438/.343/.806 slash line. He’s also chipping in 9.6 rebounds, 8.8 dimes, 1.6 steals and 0.5 blocks a night.

According to The Athletic (via Twitter), Doncic is the first player in the history of the league to rack up 150+ rebounds and assists and 50+ three-point field goals during one playoff run.

Though all but the last of the games vs. Minnesota were fairly close, Doncic and Irving’s clutch play, both as isolation scorers and as tactical distributors, helped Dallas pull away late in every instance except the Game 4 loss.

At 50-32, Dallas entered the West playoffs as the No. 5 seed, meaning it was an underdog, without home court advantage, in each of its three postseason matchups. That made little difference, as the club took care of the No. 4 Clippers and the No. 1 Thunder in six games apiece, across successive rounds, before moving on to handle Minnesota in the Western Finals.

Texas Notes: Kyrie, Luka, Castle, Rockets

May 30th, 2024 at 5:43pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving suggested that his lackluster performance in Game 4 was a key reason why Dallas failed to sweep the Timberwolves in their Western Conference Finals series, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The nine-time All-Star shot just 6-of-18 from the floor and coughed up the ball four times.

“If I’m setting the example like that, other guys are going to follow suit unfortunately at times,” Irving said. “It just leads to that lackadaisical play. That’s on me. I’m taking the accountability. I gotta start off the game a lot better and just get a shot up at the rim instead of turning the ball over.”

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

Now just one win away from his first NBA Finals, All-NBA Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is making the case as potentially the best player in the NBA, opine Zach Harper and Shams Charania of The Athletic. During the postseason, Doncic is averaging 28.3 points (on 55.6% true shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 9.1 dimes per game despite battling through injuries. If Dallas advances past Minnesota and he can vanquish the Celtics in the Finals, the 25-year-old superstar would further bolster his argument as the top talent in the game right now, Harper and Charania contend.
NCAA championship-winning former Connecticut guard Stephon Castle could be the most sensible fit for the Spurs with one of their two top-eight picks in next month’s draft, writes LJ Ellis of Spurs Talk. Ellis cites Castle’s chemistry alongside big man Donovan Clingan, and his ability to distribute in half court sets, as possibly presaging a great two-man game with Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.
The Rockets possess the No. 3 selection in this month’s draft. Kelly Iko of The Athletic unpacks a ranked list of five ideal fits for a rebuilding Houston roster, fresh off a 41-41 finish to its 2023/24 season.

Mavs’ Lively Listed As Questionable For Game 5

May 30th, 2024 at 9:34am CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively is listed as questionable to play tonight in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News tweets.

Lively missed Game 4 on Tuesday, when the Timberwolves staved off elimination. He suffered a neck sprain in Game 3 on Sunday.

Lively was injured during the second quarter when he fell backward in the lane and was inadvertently kneed in the head by Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns.

On the “Run It Back” program (video link), The Athletic’s Shams Charania said Lively will be a game-time decision, adding “it’s really trending toward a 50/50 chance that he plays.”

When healthy, Lively has been extremely effective in the postseason, knocking down all 13 of his field goal attempts in the series. He had a 14-point, nine-rebound outing in Game 2.

Coinciding with Lively’s absence, Mavs big man Maxi Kleber returned to action in Game 4. After being sidelined since May 3 due to a shoulder injury, Kleber played 13 minutes on Tuesday, contributing two points, one rebound and one assist.

Luka Doncic, as he has often been, is also listed as questionable for Game 5 due to knee and ankle ailments. However, Doncic — who posted a triple-double in 41 minutes on Tuesday — has yet to miss a game during this postseason.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Irving, Lively, Hardy

May 29th, 2024 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

After shooting a combined 13-of-39 (33.3%) from the floor on Tuesday, Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both accepted the blame for the Game 4 loss, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes. While Doncic cited his lack of energy and Irving mentioned his early-game sloppiness, their teammates weren’t willing to let the backcourt duo shoulder the full responsibility for the defeat.

“It’s not on them, it’s on us as a team,” Derrick Jones Jr. said. “We are a unit. We go out there, and we play together, we win together, we lose together. It’s not on one person. I know that they’re the leaders of the team, that head of the snake, but we got their back through thick and through thin.”

The Timberwolves adjusted their defensive assignments on Tuesday, with Anthony Edwards serving as the primary defender on Doncic. Jaden McDaniels guarded Irving, who admitted after the game that the All-Defensive wing represented a new challenge.

“He has a huge impact,” Irving said of McDaniels. “I mean, he is a 6-9 wing defender that I’m seeing now for the first time from the start of the game. So it’s going to be an adjustment, but I love it. I relish in these type opportunities.”

Here’s more out of Dallas:

Referring to Dereck Lively as the Mavericks’ third-most important player, Tim Cato of The Athletic says the rookie center’s absence was noticeable in the Game 4 loss. Lively told Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link) that his neck sprain is a “day to day thing” and that he’s trying not to rush his recovery and return. On FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of The Athletic said it’s promising that Lively didn’t have to enter the concussion protocol, adding that there’s a chance the big man could be back for Game 5, though that’s far from a certainty.
Lively isn’t the only Mavericks youngster giving the team important playoff minutes. Second-year guard Jaden Hardy scored 13 points in just 12 minutes of action in Game 4, making 3-of-4 three-pointers and throwing down a highlight-reel dunk. “It felt great to see some shots go in while I was out there,” Hardy said, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “I’m just trying to bring energy and bring another element to the team that makes us different and trying to make this championship run.” Hardy is under contract for one more season before becoming eligible for restricted free agency in 2025.
The Mavericks still hold a commanding 3-1 lead over Minnesota in the series, so there’s no need to panic yet, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Still, it will be crucial not to let the Timberwolves continue to gain confidence by winning additional games. “This is a great opportunity for us as a young team to go through this,” head coach Jason Kidd said.

Lively Expected To Miss Game 4; Kleber Listed As Questionable

May 27th, 2024 at 4:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks won’t have their outstanding rookie center for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals but they could get another veteran big man back in action.

Dereck Lively won’t play as the Mavericks try to close out the series against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT tweets. Lively is officially listed as doubtful to play by the team, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon tweets.

Lively suffered a neck sprain during the second quarter in Game 3 on Sunday when he fell backward in the lane and was inadvertently kneed in the head by Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns. Lively’s head snapped forward upon contact. He was down on the court for several minutes before appearing dazed as he was helped to the locker room.

Lively has knocked down all 13 of his field goal attempts in the series. He had a 14-point, 9-rebound outing in Game 2.

Fortunately for Dallas, Maxi Kleber could be back in action. He’s listed as questionable, according to MacMahon.

Kleber has been out since May 3 due to a right shoulder injury, officially labelled an AC joint separation. He averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.5 minutes per game while appearing in all six first-round games against the Clippers.

Luka Doncic (right knee sprain/left ankle soreness) is also listed as questionable again, though it would be surprising to see Doncic sit out a closeout game. Doncic was a game-time decision on Sunday and wound up dominating with 33 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals in the 116-107 victory.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Irving, Lively, Gafford

May 27th, 2024 at 9:07am CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks built a team capable of reaching the NBA Finals by uniting two of the league’s best clutch performers, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Dallas has routinely taken over games during the closing minutes of this year’s playoffs, including Sunday night when Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined to outscore Minnesota by themselves in the fourth quarter. Even though the Mavs have trailed late in all three games, they’ve grabbed a 3-0 series lead by outscoring the Wolves by a combined 24-11 over the final three minutes.

“Down the stretch, that’s where we make our money, man,” Irving said. “I think we have that poise now, and we’re showcasing just our skill sets out there that a lot of teams have to guard, the depth that we have. A lot of teams have to guard each one of us, and you got to pick your poison.”

MacMahon points out that the combination didn’t work right away. After Irving was acquired from Brooklyn in February 2023, Dallas went just 6-15 last season in games that were within five points in the final five minutes. That caused the Mavericks to miss the playoffs and led to doubts about whether Doncic and Irving could coexist. The duo figured things out after Irving re-signed last summer, posting the league’s second-best clutch record at 23-9 during the regular season and the best clutch offense at 127.1 points per 100 possessions.

“I think when you talk about maturity, skill set, they fit,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Ky’s been around the block. He’s been with great players. He doesn’t mind being second or 1B, and you just don’t find that a lot of times in this league. He will show what he needs to show, and he’s done that with Luka this season. He’s patient, he’s calm, his energy is in a positive place. … There’s a debate out there: Is this the best backcourt in NBA history? It’s kind of cool.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Tests didn’t reveal any serious damage for Dereck Lively II, who left Sunday’s game with a neck sprain, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). After falling to the court in the second quarter, Lively took an inadvertent knee to the back of the head from Karl-Anthony Towns. Lively’s status for Tuesday’s Game 4 is still uncertain, Wojnarowski adds. A definite prognosis and a determination on concussion protocol won’t be made until more testing is conducted later today, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
Daniel Gafford made two huge plays in the closing minutes Sunday, which is when Lively is usually on the court, notes Tim Cato of The Athletic. Gafford swatted away Mike Conley‘s layup attempt with 56 seconds left to play, then slammed home an alley-oop dunk on a pass from Doncic 22 seconds later that put the game out of reach.
The Mavericks are hoping to close out the series on Tuesday to get a break from the exhausting grind of the playoffs, Townsend adds in a full story. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for June 6, no matter when the conference finals end, so the team would have more than a week off if it can wrap up the sweep. Doncic told reporters about a late-game conversation he had with Irving. “I told him, “I’m tired as s—,” Doncic said. “He told me, ‘That’s the way it’s supposed to be.’ He’s just brought that calmness for our team; to me. The maturity, it’s been unbelievable to have him, just learning from him every day. Positive energy, always. It’s just a blessing, having him.”