Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison, team owner Patrick Dumont said in a press release. letter fans on Tuesday. The decision comes less than a year after Harrison's controversial decision to trade Luka Doncic for Los Angeles Lakersleading to his loss in Dallas despite being crowned the 2024 Western Conference champions.
“No one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all thought would be a promising season. You have high hopes for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When results do not meet expectations, I have a duty to act,” Dumont wrote.
“While the majority of the 2025-26 season remains to be played and I know our players are deeply committed to a winning culture, this decision was critical to moving our team in a positive direction.
“I understand the profound impact these difficult last few months have had. Please know that I am fully committed to the success of the Mavericks.
Assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Ricciardi were named interim general managers to oversee basketball operations, although the Mavericks said they would “begin a comprehensive search for a permanent replacement.” Finley was part of a five-man team that Mark Cuban hired to hire a new coach and manager, a search that led to Jason Kidd and Harrison himself. Ricciardi became the more public face of the franchise after the Doncic trade.
Rumors about possible changes in leadership in Dallas began almost immediately after the deal. Harrison managed to stave off being fired long enough for the Mavericks to win the 2025 championship. NBA Draft A lottery that allowed them to choose Cooper Flagg #1 overall. However, a slow start to Flagg's rookie season, as well as a dismal 3-8 record for the Mavericks overall this year, was enough for Dallas to pull the trigger on moving on from one of the most controversial executives in history. NBA story.
The Mavericks hired Harrison in 2021 after parting ways with Donnie Nelson, who had been general manager for nearly two decades. The decision was somewhat unorthodox given Harrison's background. He never worked for NBA team before he was hired, but he was a sneaker executive at Nike, notably working with Kobe Bryant. In doing so, he developed a relationship with Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka, who eventually became the Lakers' general manager. This relationship helped facilitate the trade for Doncic.
Once hired, Harrison quickly set about destroying the team he inherited, trading Kristaps Porzingis at the 2022 trade deadline and then losing Jalen Brunson free agency in 2022 for nothing.
The changes off the court were as radical as the changes on the court. In 2023, Harrison fired Casey Smith, the team's head athletic trainer since 2004. ESPNprompted the departure of Scott Tomlin, the team's vice president of basketball communications, who had been with the team for an equally long period. After the 2023–24 season, they fired strength coach Jeremy Holsopple and chiropractor Casey Spangler, prompting Doncic reportedly outraged to his deal that “they're getting rid of everyone I like.”
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Despite these behind-the-scenes changes, the Mavericks eventually bounced back on the court. Acquisition Kyrie Irving led to a year-long hot streak for Harrison, who drafted standout young center Derek Lively and traded for Daniel Gafford And PJ Washington ahead of an amazing trip to the 2024 NBA Finals. Ultimately, however, Harrison lacked faith in the finalist he had created.
At the 2025 trade deadline, Harrison traded Doncic to the Lakers for a package led by Anthony Davis. Almost every element of the deal was criticized. The overwhelming consensus was that Dallas should have kept Doncic and signed him to a five-year, $345 million Supermax extension in the summer. Even if a trade were necessary, the Lakers wouldn't have much to offer, and even if they did, they ultimately wouldn't give it up. While the Mavericks got Max Christie and a first-round pick in a deal along with Davis, they failed to snag the budding star Austin Reevesthen promising rookie Dalton Knecht or any capital project beyond a 2029 first-round pick. The Lakers could theoretically offer their 2031 first-round pick along with first-round trade rights in 2026, 2028 and 2030, but managed to keep it all in the deal.
From that point on, the 2024–25 season spiraled out of control. Davis was injured when the Mavericks acquired him and then aggravated that injury upon his return. Kyrie Irving tore his ACL shortly after the trade and has yet to return to the court. With several other Mavericks also suffering injuries, Dallas was eliminated from the playoffs and eliminated from the Play-In Tournament. Memphis Grizzlies.
Meanwhile, fans in Dallas haven't let up their criticism of the Doncic trade an inch, no matter how much time has passed. Chants of “Fireman Niko” filled the arena at every home game. Protests took place outside the arena. Season ticket holders have canceled their plans. Things came to a head in early April when Doncic returned to Dallas with the Lakers. The Mavericks shared a video in his honor, but the cameras caught Doncic crying while he watched. This further ignited the already ardent fan base.
Less than a week later, Harrison held a press conference. reportedly on instructions team governor Patrick Dumont, but this only made the situation worse. The team limited the event to certain pre-selected members of the media only and did not allow audio or video recordings. Harrison often referred to the axiom that “defense wins championships” when answering a variety of questions. He dismissed the opinions of former owner Mark Cuban and team legend Dirk Nowitzki as they “weren't in the building all the time.” He has not committed to staying in Dallas beyond the three years remaining on his contract, despite having himself traded all of the team's first-round picks between 2027 and 2030. The event proved to be a public relations disaster.
Dallas was only saved from what appeared to be a surprisingly bleak future when its 1.8% chance of winning the 2025 NBA Draft lottery turned out to be lucky and gave the Mavericks the No. 1 overall pick. They used that pick to select Flagg, one of the most highly regarded prospects in recent history.
However, Flagg has struggled this season, largely due to the unconventional cast Harrison has assembled. Despite being a 6-9 forward, Dallas opened the season with Flagg playing point guard in Irving's absence and a lineup loaded to the brim with big guards but lacking smaller ball handlers. As expected, Dallas' defense showed promise, but the offense was a complete disaster. Injuries remain a problem with a revamped training squad, and aggrieved fans, while supportive of Flagg, never stop chanting “Fire, Nico.” After this struggle and the negativity that surrounded the team after the trade, the Mavericks decided to pull the plug on arguably the most unpopular general manager in NBA history.
Now the team begins the process of building relationships with their fans. Trading Doncic could very well set the Mavericks back a decade, but Flagg's presence provided a reprieve that offers at least a glimmer of hope for the future. We don't know who will build a team around him yet, but it's not the same person who traded Doncic.
