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Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors 4-1 in the Western Conference finals. Fresh off their Game 5 loss, Doncic received a message from a potential first overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
After their 120-110 loss on Thursday night, Doncic was greeted by top prospect Chet Holmgren backstage. He was with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki and Luka's father, Sasa. The group chatted for a bit, with Holmgren telling Doncic:
"I'll see you out there next year."
Chet Holmgren is in the conversation for the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Gonzaga product was a consensus All-American after averaging 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a whopping 3.7 blocks per game.
Holmgren surely got some advice from Nowitzki and Doncic during their chat.
What's next for Luka Doncic?
Luka Doncic had a phenomenal season for the Dallas Mavericks despite his early season struggles with conditioning and injuries. He led the Mavericks to their first series win since 2011, inspiring the team to eliminate the Phoenix Suns in the second round.
Doncic averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists in 65 games during the regular season. It was enough to earn him an All-NBA First Team selection for the third straight year. However, he was even better in the playoffs, averaging 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 18 games.
Luka Doncic plans to take some time off from basketball in the offseason, but it seems like he'll be very busy with the Slovenian national team.
Slovenia will play in the second round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers in August. They will then proceed to compete in the EuroBasket 2022 from September 1 to 18.
What's next for the Dallas Mavericks?
With Luka Doncic playing non-stop since the start of last season, the young superstar deserves his vacation. However, the Dallas Mavericks have a lot to do this summer. The Mavericks knows they have to surround Doncic with more talent in order to get over the hump and possibly win a championship.
Jalen Brunson's free agency is Dallas' number one priority. Brunson was one of the breakout players in the NBA this season and even amped up his production in the playoffs. He's expected to fetch a really nice payday from the Mavericks or another team.
The Dallas Mavericks could also try to explore the trade market this summer. It's clear that Doncic needs another star to make things a little bit easier.
One player linked to Dallas is Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. The Jazz are expected to start a partial rebuild after another first round exit.
