Patrick Dumont might not go down in history for much beyond marrying billionaire Miriam Adelson’s daughter. As the governor of the Dallas Mavericks, he mostly did what fans want from their owners: he stayed out of the way and allowed the team executives to take the lead. Unfortunately for him, he put his trust in someone who, well, made some questionable decisions. The Luka Doncic trade is going to shadow him indefinitely—especially as long as his family continues to own the team.
For many, trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers will always be associated with Nico Harrison. His bold gamble backfired spectacularly, and now he’s out of a job, leaving behind a legacy that won’t easily fade.
The Mavericks decided to part ways with Harrison after a rough start to the season with a 3-8 record. Doncic, meanwhile, is averaging close to 40 points per game in his first full season with the Lakers. On the flip side, Anthony Davis—who came back to Dallas—started the season significantly overweight and got injured. Kyrie Irving’s torn ACL at the end of last season didn’t help either. It’s hard to believe, but the Mavericks completely botched what could have been a Finals-contending team with this disastrous trade, something that won’t be forgotten quickly.
Dumont even wrote a letter to Mavs fans to explain his decision to let Harrison go.
The new general manager has quite a mess to tackle. Just months after trading Doncic, Dallas finds itself in a position with only a 1.8 percent chance of winning the 2025 NBA Draft lottery. They do have a promising talent in Cooper Flagg, who is potentially as valuable in the long run as Doncic. However, the Mavericks have already depleted their future draft picks while trying to build a team around Luka. They won’t be able to control first-round picks in 2027, 2028, 2029, or 2030.
The Mavericks are clearly tanking, looking to trade Anthony Davis while trying to offload other veterans like Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, and P.J. Washington. Flagg, who is the youngest player in the NBA this season and won’t turn 19 for another month, is already in the spotlight as they rush to save the next “generational talent” for Dallas.
Why did the Mavericks trade Luka Doncic?
The decision to trade Doncic came just eight months after he led the team to the 2024 NBA Finals. Harrison believed Doncic was out of shape and criticized his off-court habits as well as his defense. While there was some truth to those concerns, trading away a 25-year-old superstar who had already been named to the All-NBA first team multiple times seemed extreme.
Harrison defended the trade by citing that “defense wins championships.” In taking that direction, he shortened the competitive window for the Mavericks, who now rely on aging and injury-prone players. The team started the 2025-26 season with a solid defense, but their offense was among the worst in the league, leaving them in dire straits. It’s possible for defense to win championships, but generally, a strong offense performs better in the playoffs.
Harrison’s worries about Doncic could have been addressed. The trade resulted in Luka changing his diet and training regimen, which got him in top shape for the Lakers. Unfortunately, Dallas didn’t get a chance to capitalize on what made Doncic a standout.
Without Doncic, the role players struggled to fill the gap. Davis was considered a top-10 player at the trade but didn’t elevate his teammates like Luka did.
In short, the Doncic trade was a significant misstep for the Mavericks. My initial D+ rating for Dallas was overly generous. Worst-case scenarios have unfolded since then: injuries to Davis and Irving, along with his weight issues, led to a disjointed team. The best outcome was landing Flagg in the lottery, but they might need another stroke of luck in the 2026 draft to put together a successful roster around him.
Nico Harrison’s delusions are legendary
When the Mavs introduced Flagg at the draft, Harrison made what might be one of the most outlandish claims in NBA history, saying fans would “finally start to see the vision.”
After Davis and Irving got hurt, Harrison’s vision quickly evaporated. While Flagg’s arrival seemed like a stroke of luck, many fans suspected it was meant to appease the disgruntled Mavericks supporters after the trade uproar. It’s likely Harrison didn’t even plan to draft Flagg when he traded Doncic, and suggesting otherwise seems like a desperate move.
Dumont had the power to block the Doncic trade and should have acted quickly when the idea was first suggested. But instead, he, who—let’s be honest—wasn’t all that well-known, trusted his basketball team’s judgment. It was surprising to see him booed by fans after the trade.
The Doncic trade could be compared to the famous moment when the Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees. It seemed outrageous at the time, and its repercussions have lingered.
Perhaps, years from now, fans will still discuss the Doncic trade as we do the Ruth trade. Like Ruth, Doncic was just 25 at the time of the trade. Who knows if the Lakers will secure a championship with Luka, but the aftermath of this trade has been nothing short of devastating for the Mavericks.
Nico Harrison may have been let go, but his impact will linger on, likely long after we’re all gone.
