The Dallas Mavericks are preparing to move on from General Manager Nico Harrison. This decision follows huge fan outrage over the miscalculated trade which witnessed homegrown superstar and league MVP candidate Luka Doncic go to the Los Angeles Lakers. According to the sources, Harrison’s departure is virtually assured. His meeting with new team governor Patrick Dumont is 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday.
Since the February 2 trade, Harrison has been enduring some of the most vicious criticism imaginable. This was the nature of the trade that sent away Doncic — a five-time, first-team All-NBA selection who had turned 25 just the day before. The trade sent shockwaves through the fandom around the league. It ignited a wave of demonstrations outside the American Airlines Center on the night of the announcement and ahead of the team’s next home game. Supporters let the world know how unhappy they were that their city lost a global icon.
Instead, the Mavericks made a win-now move by trading Doncic for forward Anthony Davis. They acquired rookie Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick. It raised very valid questions about Harrison’s decision-making and his overall vision for the team’s future.
The backlash among fans has grown to the point that it is now impacting decisions made at the level of upper management. Patrick Dumont made it back to his courtside seat on Monday for the first time since Mavericks’ season-opening loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Now he is under pressure to make far-reaching changes inside the beleaguered organization. Observers noted Dumont’s presence at the game as he reviewed the team’s performance and fan sentiment.
Now, as the meeting nears, the rumor mill is churning with concerns about how Dumont will handle comfort-gate of the past with Harrison. This one conversation may have completely flipped the script for Dallas. Here they are reeling from the consequences of the biggest headshaking-est, mouthgaping-est, locomotive-grinding-to-a-halt-est trades in Forever NBA history.
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