Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will be sidelined at least one week due to a left calf contusion, the team announced Wednesday. Doncic, who is entering his seventh NBA season, suffered the injury during a workout.
According to ESPN’s Tim Macmahon, the Mavericks are not concerned about Doncic’s availability for their regular-season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24.
The Mavs have training camp in Las Vegas this week and open the preseason at home Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies. Doncic also dealt with a calf injury last preseason, suffering a strain during the Mavs’ trip to Abu Dhabi and Madrid.
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that Mavericks guard Luka Dončić sustained a hit during workouts this week resulting in a left calf contusion.
Dončić will be re-evaluated as necessary in one week.
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) October 2, 2024
However, Doncic recovered in time to play in the 2023-24 regular-season opener. The 25-year-old also dealt with other injuries last season. He was given a questionable designation leading into Game 2 of the NBA Finals due to a thoracic contusion.
Doncic reportedly needed a pain-killing injection to numb the area. He then had a probable designation heading into Game 3 and was able to finish out the series. The five-time All-Star was healthy for the most part last season, considering he appeared in 70 regular-season games.
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic averaged career highs of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists in the 2023-24 season
Last season, Doncic averaged career highs of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 37.5 minutes per game while shooting 48.7% from the field and career bests of 38.2% from 3-point range and 78.6% at the free throw line.
In Dallas’ 148-143 victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 26, the guard recorded a career-high 73 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and one steal in 45 minutes of action.
Doncic tied Wilt Chamberlain and David Thompson for the fourth-highest scoring game in NBA history. He also became the fifth NBA player with at least 70 points and 10 rebounds in a game — joining Chamberlain (six times), Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robinson, and Joel Embiid.
Moreover, Doncic is now eligible to sign a five-year, $367 million supermax extension in 2025 since he made All-NBA First Team in the 2023-24 season. The Slovenian hooper would earn $73.4 million per season on such a deal.
His current contract is the five-year, $215.16 million contract he signed with the Mavericks in 2021.
