Luka Doncic could only sit and cheer his Lakers teammates against the Thunder. The Slovenian understood good and well how his inclusion could have changed the tide of the series. A Grade 2 hamstring strain kept him away for the last six weeks of the season. Sitting out the “best time to play basketball” ate away at Doncic. However, he was never exactly close to returning.

Many reports claimed the six-time All-Star could be back in the second round. ESPN even had Doncic’s projected return date as Game 5 against OKC. “You know, there was some stuff in the media that went out that wasn’t true. Nobody of those people saw my MRIs, know nothing. So, it wasn’t really true,” the Lakers star said during his exit interview.

However, Doncic did have a soft corner for Lakers fans who wished he would be out there. WWE legend Ric Flair took an unusual route by criticizing the Lakers guard on social media. “Take A Shot Of Cortisone And Deal With The Pain! They Are Paying You 50 Million A Year, And You’re Not There! WTF! I Hope @JeanieBuss Trades You Next Year. Nobody Wants A Lame Duck On Their Team!” one of Flair’s tweets read.

The jibes didn’t stop there. After the game 3 loss, the 77-year-old again took to social media and stated, “@lukadoncic, There Is Only One Word That I Can Possibly Say, And That’s DISAPPOINTED. 46 Million Dollars, And You Can’t Play. OMG, I Would Jump Off The Empire State Building With A Parachute For 46 Million Dollars A Year, And I Don’t Even Know How To Pull The Cord To Open It, But I Would Take My Chances.”

Doncic surely would’ve heard of those criticism and finally responded to it. “yeah, it’s very frustrating. I know some people wanted me back, but obviously I wasn’t close to to clearing,” the Slovenian said in his opening statement at the post-game presser. Luka Doncic would be the first person to put on a bandage wherever necessary just to play. He played the 2024 NBA Finals looking like a mummy during pregame shootaround. In this case, as much as he would have wanted to return early, Doncic revealed he was still a few weeks away from resuming contact drills.

“If I could be out there, I would be 100%. Everybody in that room knows that. But, you know, it’s been really tough. Like I said, this is the best time to play basketball. I was sad not to not to be able to help my team,” Doncic responded to Flair, and the millions of Lakers fans that wondered what the truth was behind the scenes.

Luka Doncic felt disheartened since he couldn’t help his teammates during the playoffs. But he also knows there wasn’t much he could do. Doncic went to Spain to get Platelet-rich injections to possibly boost his recovery timeline. Just days away from the second-round series, the All-NBA guard was only doing stationary shooting.

He finished the season on a note of acceptance. This year wasn’t meant to be. But he’s doing everything necessary to ensure the future is bright.

Luka Doncic plans a summer of emotional and physical rejuvenation

Doncic had some tough moments, both on and off the court. The injury was another battle to fight, while also dealing with a joint custody battle for his daughters. At one point, basketball was an escape. However, Doncic has seen his newborn daughter, Olivia, just once, when she was born.

For the Slovenian, being a father means more than anything, including basketball. So after dedicating himself to the entire season with the Lakers, he’s finally taking a break. Luka Doncic wants to become a dad, having barely spent any time with his two daughters over the past eight months.

For that reason, the six-time All-Star announced he won’t be playing for Slovenia during the summer. Instead, he wants to lie back and spend time with his daughter. The next thing on his mind is to fully recover and be healthy. Because after his first breakup, coming with the Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic is starting to make LA his home.

“I feel very comfortable. You know I like living here. I like playing for the Lakers. It’s one of the best organizations in the world. So, just being a Laker, it means a lot to me and you know like I said I feel very good here. Uh, so there’s nothing else to add to that,” he said.

The goal this summer isn’t any different. Doncic is still committed to staying in shape and polishing his game. However, in order to build the capacity to ride the emotional waves during the season, he needs to get a dose of unconditional love and time to himself. Being happy is the way for Doncic to return to his best and feel at ease.