The Dallas Mavericks have fired normal supervisor Nico Harrison, crew proprietor Patrick Dumont introduced in a letter to followers Tuesday. The choice comes lower than a 12 months after Harrison’s controversial choice to commerce Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, which arrange his downfall in Dallas regardless of constructing the 2024 Western Convention champions.
“Nobody related to the Mavericks group is proud of the beginning of what all of us believed could be a promising season. You will have excessive expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When the outcomes do not meet expectations, it is my duty to behave,” Dumont wrote.
“Although nearly all of the 2025-26 season stays to be performed, and I do know our gamers are deeply dedicated to a successful tradition, this choice was crucial to shifting our franchise ahead in a constructive course.
“I perceive the profound affect these tough final a number of months have had. Please know that I am totally dedicated to the success of the Mavericks.”
Assistant normal managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have been named co-interim normal managers to supervise basketball operations, although the Mavericks mentioned a “complete search will start for a everlasting alternative.” Finley was a part of the five-man crew employed by Mark Cuban to rent a brand new coach and supervisor, a search that led to Jason Kidd and Harrison himself. Riccardi has turn into a extra public face of the franchise because the Dončić commerce.
Rumors about attainable administration adjustments in Dallas started nearly instantly following the commerce. Harrison managed to stave off a firing lengthy sufficient for the Mavericks to win the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, which allowed them to draft Cooper Flagg No. 1 general. Nonetheless, a gradual begin to Flagg’s rookie season in addition to a depressing 3-8 document for the Mavericks as an entire up to now this 12 months was sufficient for Dallas to tug the set off and transfer on from one of the controversial executives in NBA historical past.
The Mavericks employed Harrison in 2021 after parting methods with Donnie Nelson, who had been the overall supervisor for almost twenty years. The choice was considerably unorthodox given Harrison’s background. He had by no means labored for an NBA crew earlier than he was employed, however had been a sneaker government at Nike, most notably working with Kobe Bryant. Whereas doing so, he shaped a relationship with Bryant’s agent, Rob Pelinka, who ultimately grew to become the overall supervisor for the Lakers. That relationship helped facilitate the Dončić commerce.
Upon his hiring, Harrison rapidly set about tearing down the crew that he inherited, buying and selling Kristaps Porziņģis on the 2022 commerce deadline after which dropping Jalen Brunson for nothing in 2022 free company.
The off-court adjustments have been as sweeping as their on-court counterparts. In 2023, Harrison fired Casey Smith, the crew’s head athletic coach since 2004. That, in response to ESPN, prompted the departure of Scott Tomlin, the crew’s vice chairman of basketball communications, who had been with the crew for a equally lengthy interval. Following the 2023-24 season, they fired power coach Jeremy Holsopple and guide therapist Casey Spangler, prompting Dončić to reportedly gripe earlier than his commerce that “they do away with all people I like.”
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Regardless of these behind-the-scenes adjustments, the Mavericks did ultimately rebound on the courtroom. The acquisition of Kyrie Irving led to a year-long sizzling streak for Harrison, who drafted standout younger heart Dereck Energetic and traded for Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington forward of a shocking journey to the 2024 NBA Finals. In the end, although, Harrison lacked religion within the finalist that he constructed.
On the 2025 commerce deadline, Harrison traded Dončić to the Lakers for a package deal headlined by Anthony Davis. Nearly each aspect of the deal was criticized. The overwhelming consensus was that Dallas ought to have saved Dončić and signed him to a five-year, $345 million supermax extension over the summer time. Even when a commerce was obligatory, the Lakers didn’t have probably the most to supply, and even when they did, they did not finally give up it. Whereas the Mavericks acquired Max Christie and a first-round decide within the deal alongside Davis, they didn’t pry away budding star Austin Reaves, then-promising rookie Dalton Knecht or any draft capital past a 2029 first-round decide. The Lakers might have theoretically supplied their 2031 first-round decide together with first-round swap rights in 2026, 2028 and 2030, however managed to carry onto all of that within the deal.
The 2024-25 season spiraled uncontrolled from there. Davis was injured when the Mavericks acquired him after which aggravated that harm upon his return. Kyrie Irving tore his ACL quickly after the commerce and has not but returned to the ground. With a variety of different Mavericks harm as nicely, Dallas fell out of the playoffs and was eradicated within the Play-In Match by the Memphis Grizzlies.
In the meantime, followers in Dallas didn’t let up one inch of their criticism of the Dončić commerce regardless of how a lot time handed. Chants of “fireplace Nico” crammed the world at each residence recreation. Protests have been held exterior of the world. Season-ticket holders cancelled their plans. Issues reached a head in early April, when Dončić returned to Dallas as a member of the Lakers. The Mavericks shared a tribute video for him, however cameras caught Dončić crying as he watched. This additional enflamed an already scorching fanbase.
Harrison held a press occasion lower than every week later, reportedly on the behest of crew governor Patrick Dumont, however that solely made issues worse. The crew restricted the occasion to sure pre-selected media members solely and didn’t enable audio or video recordings. Harrison ceaselessly defaulted to the axiom that “protection wins championships” as responses to all kinds of questions. He dismissed the enter of former proprietor Mark Cuban and crew legend Dirk Nowitzki as a result of they “weren’t within the constructing at a relentless foundation.” He wouldn’t decide to remaining in Dallas past the three years remaining on his contract although he himself had traded all the crew’s first-round picks between 2027 and 2030. The occasion proved to be a public relations catastrophe.
Dallas was solely rescued from what seemed to be a remarkably bleak future when its 1.8% probability to win the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery hit and gave the Mavericks the No. 1 general decide. They used that decide to pick Flagg, one of the extremely regarded prospects in latest historical past.
But Flagg has struggled so far this season due largely to the unconventional roster Harrison has constructed. Regardless of being a 6-9 ahead, Dallas opened the season with Flagg enjoying level guard because of Irving’s absence and a roster stuffed to the brim with large defenders however missing smaller ball-handlers. As predicted, the Dallas protection was promising, however the offense has been an unmitigated catastrophe. Accidents have remained an issue beneath the revamped coaching employees and aggrieved followers, whereas supportive of Flagg, by no means stopped chanting “Hearth Nico.” Within the wake of these struggles and the negativity that has surrounded the crew because the commerce, the Mavericks have elected to tug the plug on maybe probably the most unpopular normal supervisor within the historical past of the NBA.
Now, the crew begins the method of mending its relationship with its followers. The Dončić commerce very simply might have set the Mavericks again a decade, however Flagg’s presence granted a reprieve that gives not less than a glimmer of hope for the long run. We do not but know who will construct the crew round him, solely that it will not be the person who traded Dončić
