The Dallas Mavericks are about to fire General Manager Nico Harrison. This is less than a year after he made a shocking trade that sent superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, which caused a lot of controversy and anger among fans. Team governor Patrick Dumont is expected to make the announcement at a meeting on Tuesday. Harrison was hired in 2021 even though he had no previous experience as an NBA executive. Since the trade in February that sent Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and other assets, he has been under a lot of scrutiny from fans and analysts alike.
During Harrison’s time as head coach, there were big changes to the roster and staff. Longtime team members left, and there were several strategic trades that led to the breakup of the Mavericks’ promising core. After injuries and a bad start from No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg, who was chosen after Dallas won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, the team fell off a cliff this season.
Fans were the most angry when they protested, chanted “Fire Nico,” and canceled their season tickets. Even though the team had a short comeback that led to the 2024 NBA Finals and the signing of Kyrie Irving, the fallout from the Doncic trade was too big to ignore. The upcoming change in leadership is a very important step for Dallas to win back the trust of its fans and set a new direction for the franchise.
