Nine months have passed since the trade that truly turned the sports world on its head. Nico Harrison has been let go from his position.
The Mavericks dismissed their general manager on Tuesday, following the team’s struggles after the notable move that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, as reported by various sources.
ESPN noted that Michael Finley and Matt Ricciardi will step in to handle the basketball operations on an interim basis.
Despite a surprising choice to draft Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick, following their elimination in the play-in tournament, the Mavericks currently stand at 3-8 this season, placing them near the bottom of the Western Conference.
The tipping point came on Monday night when they suffered a home loss against the Bucks, giving up a 13-point lead while fans chanted for Harrison to be removed.
Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont was present at the game and interacted with Doncic, who had an 18-year-old fan in a Lakers jersey nearby.
Harrison, aged 52, took on the role of general manager and president of basketball operations in June 2021, following his previous work at Nike.
During his initial season, the Mavericks advanced to the conference finals but were eliminated from the NBA Finals in 2024.
After the major trade, there were reports of discontent within the Mavericks organization regarding Doncic’s performance and work habits. He was also featured in a cover article for Men’s Health in July, highlighting what seemed to be a noticeable weight loss.
Harrison’s public rationale for trading Doncic was that he saw Davis as a key player to boost the team’s defense and aid in their championship goals. However, Davis suffered an injury in his first game with the Mavericks last season and sat out his sixth consecutive game with a calf issue on Monday.
Kyrie Irving remains sidelined as well, nursing a torn ACL from last season, leaving his return date uncertain.
This all brings attention to 18-year-old Flagg, who scored a season-high of 26 points along with nine rebounds and four assists on Monday, even as the team struggled. Fans had been calling for Harrison’s exit since February, and on Tuesday, that wish came true.
