By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Slovenia forward Vlatko Cancar wants to see himself continuing playing for the Denver Nuggets. The 2023 NBA champion with the team confirmed that the two sides are in talks that could bring him back to Denver for the fifth consecutive season.
“I’m still waiting on their [Nuggets] decision, We’ll see” Cancar told Eurohoops after Slovenia’s Olympic Qualifiers win over New Zealand that sent his team to the semifinal stage. “Yes, For sure [it’s a scenario that I’ll be back]. I want to be back. My goal is to be back. Hopefully there’s room.”
It was reported by the Denver Post that the Nuggets are declining the 2024-25 option in Cancar’s contract but he could be back on the team on a minimum deal that would still earn him more than he did in the previous season.
Cancar was sidelined for the entirety of 2023-24 after suffering a torn ACL injury in a preparation game between Slovenia and Greece ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
It happened in OAKA arena of Athens. Now, Cancar is making his comeback to action in official games, just a few miles from where he suffered that season-ending injury.
“It feels good [to be back],” Cancar said before making a bit of a brutal self-criticism. “I play like s-it so this has to change soon.” He just had 0 out of 7 from the field over 16:59 minutes vs. New Zealand.
“I just takes my shots kind of emotionally… I want them to go in,” Cancar said to reporters after the 104 – 78 win that sent Slovenia to the semifinal stage. “Physically, I feel fine. No fears.”
Slovenia needed to beat the Tall Blacks by 10 points ore more to advance and ultimately took a blowout victory behind Luka Doncic’s second straight triple-double (36 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists).
We needed to play like that get that motivation,” Cancar joked regarding the fact that it was like his team started the game with a 10-point deficit. “All jokes aside. It was more of a defensive game than an offensive game.”