DALLAS — Nico Harrison had his exit interview on Friday following the Dallas Mavericks' NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics. Harrison, the Mavs general manager, addressed a number of topics including Luka Doncic's previous injury concerns and whether or not he will play for Slovenia in the Olympics.
“You guys all know Luka, you see the way he moves,” Harrison said. “He was hurting. But he's a warrior, he's gonna fight through all those injuries. That's just who he is. He loves to play. Multiple injuries throughout his body, that's evident. You can see the way he's walking and running. But again, he's a warrior so he's going to fight through it.
“In terms of playing for the national team, I think that's probably one of his biggest joys. So I think as long as he can walk he's probably going to go out there and play for them. That would be my expectation.”
Luka Doncic playing in Olympics?
Doncic's injuries in the postseason have led many to wonder if he will play in the Olympics. The Mavs star wants to represent his country but entering the 2024-25 campaign at full health would help his NBA team. But playing for your country means a little something extra, so the Mavs certainly understand Doncic's desire to represent Slovenia in the Olympics.
Slovenia has an Olympics qualifying tournament set to begin in early July. The NBA Finals ended on Monday, so there will not be much of a break for Doncic. It should be noted that Luka's official status for the Olympics has yet to be announced.
However, Harrison expects Doncic to play as long as any lingering injuries do not prove to be too much of an issue. If Doncic plays, Slovenia should have a chance to compete at a high level. Luka understands what it takes to win and he likely has added extra motivation after falling short in the NBA Finals.
Mavericks' 2023-24 season
The Mavs enjoyed a strong 2023-24 campaign. Again, they fell short in the NBA Finals, but there were not many people around the NBA world who even expected Dallas to go that far. The Mavs consistently upset expectations throughout the postseason.
“We’re proud of the way the season went,” Harrison said Friday. “We're committed to building a winning organization that has championship aspirations. I'm proud of the coaches, the staff, the players… Some of the things I talked to them, the staff as well as the players and coaches is that really want everybody to come back 10-15 percent better mind, body, and spirit. I think if we do that, we're gonna be proud of the results.”
The future is bright in Dallas without question. Nico Harrison has a vision for the team. The Mavericks are fresh off a championship appearance and they appear to be poised to compete once again.
Of course, having Luka Doncic healthy will be of the utmost importance. The Mavs will closely watch the Slovenia National Team if Doncic ends up playing.
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