On Monday, Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison admitted that he significantly underestimated the bond between the Mavericks fan base and superstar player Luka Dončić. This revelation comes after Harrison made the controversial decision to trade Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, a move centered around acquiring star player Anthony Davis.
“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison stated. “I didn’t quite know to what level.” The decision to trade Dončić on February 1 resulted in widespread fan sadness and anger, culminating in a dramatic return for Dončić to Dallas on April 9. During this game, the 26-year-old was met with overwhelming support, with fans cheering every time he touched the ball and chanting “Fire Nico!” aimed at Harrison.
Reflecting on the trade, Harrison noted, “The way we look at it was if you’re putting a team on the floor that’s Kyrie (Irving), Klay (Thompson), P.J. (Washington), Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively (II), we feel that’s a championship-caliber team and would have been winning at a high level, and that would have quieted some of the outrage.” However, this five-man lineup never had the opportunity to play together. Davis suffered a left adductor strain in his first game with the Mavericks on February 8, sidelining him for six weeks, while Kyrie Irving tore his ACL on March 3. Following Dončić's trade, the Mavericks struggled with a 13-20 record, leading to their elimination from postseason contention after a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
When questioned about his future with the team, Harrison pointed to his overall track record since assuming the role in 2021. “I think I have done a really good job here,” he said. “I don’t think I can be judged by the injuries this year. I think I should be judged by the totality from end to end.” Harrison made significant moves, including trading for Irving in February 2023 and securing P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford in February 2024, leading to the Mavericks’ first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.
In preparation for the 2023-24 season, Harrison also restructured the Mavericks’ medical staff, parting ways with long-time director of health and performance Casey Smith. New hires include Johann Bilsborough as the director of player health and performance and Keith Belton as the athletic performance director. However, ESPN reported significant tension between Bilsborough and Belton, which escalated into a verbal altercation in February regarding the treatment of Lively, who was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right ankle. The Mavericks faced substantial injury issues this season, with players missing a total of 345 games.
Despite the turmoil, Harrison defended his decisions regarding the medical staff. “You’re coming at me from a negative standpoint, and I look at it from a positive standpoint,” he explained. “The guys that we brought in are better.” He emphasized that the team must prioritize defense, stating, “When we had an opportunity to get one of the best two-way players in the league, we jumped at that opportunity.” While fan sentiment remains largely against him, Harrison indicated his intention to stay on for the duration of his three-year contract, asserting, “When you have 20,000 people in the stadium chanting ‘Fire Nico,’ you really feel it.”
As the Mavericks move forward, Harrison's decisions will continue to be scrutinized, particularly regarding the impact of injuries on the team's performance and the lingering fan discontent regarding the Dončić trade.
