If you were expecting to see No. 3 overall pick Luka Doncic make his NBA debut this July in the Summer league, you'll have to wait a bit longer.
ESPN's Tim McMahon reports that the Dallas Mavericks rookie is unlikely to play this summer after a taxing season with Real Madrid.
A Mavs source says Luka Doncic is unlikely to play in the Las Vegas summer league. The Mavs don’t want to overwork Doncic in the wake of a long EuroLeague season that ended earlier this week.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 22, 2018
On the heels of a long season in which Doncic helped lead Real Madrid to EuroLeague and Spanish ACB league titles, the Mavericks will rest the 19-year-old phenom. Between FIBA play, Eurobasket, and ACB league games, he has played over 150 professional basketball games the last two seasons.
"We've got to understand that he is 19," said Mavs coach Rick Carlisle after the Draft. "NBA stardom doesn't happen overnight. It's going to be a process, and we've got to protect him as well as be excited for him to get on the floor and do the things that he's done so well in Europe."
Dallas acquired Doncic in a draft-day trade with the Atlanta Hawks, who received the No. 5 overall pick Trae Young.