Nico Harrison is responsible for addressing the media and justifying his decisions as the Dallas Mavericks general manager. However, every time he discusses the Luka Dončić trade or the team’s current status, his statements seem to exacerbate the situation.
Harrison’s decision to trade the beloved Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for the injury-prone Anthony Davis and some additional pieces was met with overwhelming disapproval throughout the NBA community. His justifications for this trade only intensified the absurdity of the situation, particularly as the Lakers emerged as serious NBA Finals contenders while the Mavericks struggled and failed to make it past the Play-In Tournament.
With the Mavericks’ season over, Harrison faced the media in April to assess the state of the team as they head into the offseason, but it did not go as planned. He has notably struggled to communicate effectively with the Mavericks fan base about the necessity of the trade of their star player to a rival conference. In an oddly revealing admission, Harrison confessed that he didn’t fully grasp how much Luka meant to the Dallas fans.
Nico:
“I did know Luka was important to the fan base. I didn’t quite know it to what level” pic.twitter.com/21EW73zQVW
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) April 21, 2025
His statement is puzzling, especially considering he has been with the Mavericks for four seasons, a period that covers the peak of Luka’s career. The strong reaction from fans, particularly when they began chanting for Harrison’s firing, made it evident just how passionate Mavericks supporters are about their star player.
“When you have 20,000 people chanting ‘Fire Nico,’ you feel it,” he acknowledged. Harrison previously claimed that he traded Dončić to focus on a defense-oriented strategy, reiterating that sentiment at the press conference. He stated, “If you’re putting a team on the floor with Kyrie [Irving], Klay [Thompson], P.J. [Washington], Anthony Davis, and [Dereck] Lively, we believe that’s a championship-caliber team. We would’ve been winning at a high level, which would have quieted some of the outrage.”
He later recognized that the Mavericks didn’t manage communications with the media and fans well following the trade, asserting that there was no intention to avoid reporters. “Our goal is to never run away from the media,” he stated, admitting that a recent roundtable for reporters, initially prohibiting video and audio recording (which was eventually allowed), “fell flat” and didn’t achieve its intended purpose. This misstep only fueled more criticism concerning the franchise’s reluctance to openly discuss the trade, with even Dončić taking a jibe at the situation.
When asked to justify why he shouldn’t be fired, Harrison defended his work over the past four years, including a run to the NBA Finals last season with Luka, stating, “I think I’ve done a really good job here.” He noted that he has a strong relationship with team owner Patrick Dumont and emphasized that his performance should be evaluated in its entirety, not just based on injuries this year.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/ZbtuaC2ZiM
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) April 21, 2025
Following this tumultuous press conference, ESPN’s Tim McMahon reported on the behind-the-scenes events surrounding the Dončić trade, including the disheartening detail that franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki has distanced himself from the team due to Harrison’s decision-making. Harrison concluded, “I believe winning will help repair the relationship with the fans.” While he’s correct, it remains unclear if the current Dallas roster can contend with the top teams in the Western Conference, including Luka and the Lakers. The odds are stacked against Harrison’s longevity in this role, especially if he continues to stumble through press conferences.
