Dallas, TX
Nico Harrison Is an All-Time NBA Embarrassment
And just like that, the man behind the dumbest trade in the history of the NBA is out of a job. Who could’ve seen this coming? Nine months after Nico Harrison decided it was time to get out of the Luka Doncic business—still such a comically unfathomable, shortsighted move—Dallas Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont finally came to the conclusion that enough was enough on Tuesday.
Before we get to what happens next, let’s recount just how disastrous Harrison’s tenure was. After making a couple of key trades that sprung Dallas to a surprising NBA Finals run in 2024, Harrison got high on his own supply and exchanged a 25-year-old with limitless ability for Anthony Davis, an injury-prone 31-year-old who got hurt immediately after the trade and has already missed half of this season with a sore calf. (Remembering all the details just made brain fluid leak from my nose: Only one first-round pick—a Los Angeles Lakers first in 2029—was in the package, and probable 2026 All-Star Austin Reaves was not included.)
In doing this deal, Harrison short-circuited his franchise’s lengthy runway by swapping it for what he claimed to be a three- or four-year championship window. A debatable assertion, at best. Defense matters. So does having a top-three player on your roster. Again, this was one year after the Mavericks made the Finals because Doncic was on the team. It still makes no sense, and it was understandably received with anger and disgust by a traumatized fan base that subsequently refused to give Harrison a moment of peace. “Fire Nico” chants have serenaded American Airlines Center on a nightly basis, as pretty much every decision he’s made since that fateful trade (hello, Quentin Grimes!) has also gone wrong.
Now, on the heels of several reports about Dumont’s waning trust in Harrison as a general manager, the timing here is interesting. We’re not even a dozen games into the 2025-26 season, but the Mavericks have the second-worst offense in the league and, at 3-8, currently sit in 14th place. “Though the majority of the 2025-26 season remains to be played,” Dumont wrote in an open letter to Mavs fans, “this decision was critical to moving our franchise forward in a positive direction.”
Last night, Dallas lost a very winnable game to Milwaukee that, even in defeat, highlighted the immense promise of new franchise player Cooper Flagg. In the final minute of a one-possession game, head coach Jason Kidd put the ball in his star rookie’s hands and watched him get into the paint to draw a shooting foul on Kyle Kuzma. One play later, Flagg converted a gorgeous go-ahead layup through Giannis Antetokounmpo’s vertical contest. It was a level of craft no other 18-year-old on planet earth can match:
There are many reasons to fire Harrison, but the most meaningful one right now is that he’s the last person anyone should want in charge of a team that must now build around Flagg, whose development and future are far too precious to be undermined by someone so pot committed to the present. Harrison was the absolute worst man for this job, and getting rid of him is a notable step in the right direction for the organization, which would be lost beyond measure had the no. 1 pick not fallen into its lap.
As of this writing, we don’t yet know how involved Dumont will be in his team’s personnel decisions or who will ultimately get appointed to shepherd Dallas’s basketball operations going forward; Mavericks executives Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi will reportedly be running the team on an interim basis. But whoever it is will not be beholden to Davis and Kyrie Irving like Harrison clearly was.
This, obviously, is meaningful. Trading Davis before this year’s deadline is a no-brainer. After next summer’s draft, the Mavericks do not have control of their own first-round pick until 2031. They should do whatever they can to bottom out and pair Flagg and Dereck Lively II with another blue-chip prospect. What they can get for AD is a subject for another day, but the longer Dallas holds on to him, the more his trade value will diminish. Davis is extension eligible this summer and under contract for another two seasons before he can opt in or out of a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28.
Dumont should not be let off the hook for twiddling his thumbs as Harrison took a wrecking ball to a franchise that had genuine momentum and a generational talent heading into his prime. But today’s move was definitely the right one, and it is a promising indication that he finally understands what’s going on. The Mavericks are now, officially, Cooper Flagg’s team.
Michael Pina
Michael Pina is a senior staff writer at The Ringer who covers the NBA.
The search for the next general manager or president of basketball operations of the Dallas Mavericks has begun. They terminated Nico Harrison in November, which was about nine months too late, and gave any available candidates clear notice that they were open for business.
The plan was always to wait until after the season to start the search. While names popped up as the season reached an end, they didn’t begin turning over the staff until the Monday after the season ended. However, Dallas Mavericks fans are not going to like how the team is going about the search.
Patrick Dumont Leading Search for General Manager
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Mavericks are not hiring a search firm in their hunt for a new lead executive. Instead, team governor Patrick Dumont is “acting as his own point person.”
This is an… interesting decision, to say the least. Dumont is not a basketball person whatsoever, and most organizations usually hire a search firm. The Chicago Bulls hired one as they look for their replacement for Arturas Karnisovas. Just because a firm is hired doesn’t mean a team will listen, though.
The Mavericks hired a firm in their last search for a GM. They let Donnie Nelson go in 2021 after a long tenure with the Mavs. Instead of listening to the firm, though, Mark Cuban ignored it to hire Nico Harrison, who had no previous NBA front office experience. Harrison had been an executive with Nike, which gave him connections with players like Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and plenty of others.
For a while, that seemed to be working out okay. While he still had some questionable transactions, such as trading for Christian Wood and letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency, they were still able to make a run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Then, he blew it all up, trading away Luka Doncic for an older and injured Anthony Davis, and the team hasn’t been the same since.
It’s imperative that the Mavericks get this hire correct. The interim Co-GM setup with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley has performed admirably, but the 2026 NBA Draft is important for the Mavs to get right. It’s their best chance to pair Cooper Flagg with another young star, as they don’t own their first-round pick again until 2031 after this.
Hiring the right GM could help bring in more draft capital by bringing in bad contracts or flipping veterans into picks.
Dumont was able to convince Rick Welts, a Hall of Famer, to come out of retirement to be the CEO and lead the charge for a new arena. Maybe Dumont pulls another rabbit out of his hat for the GM.
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For a moment, it looked like FC Dallas was on its way to another statement win at home tonight.
Petar Musa scored two first half goals, to extend his Golden Boot leading tally to nine goals. But after Dallas grabbed control, the Galaxy found a way back before halftime with goals from Lucas Sanabria and Joseph Paintsil.
The second half brought more chances and more frustration for Dallas, which finished the night with 13 shots to LA’s nine. In the end, the point stretched Dallas’ unbeaten run to five games, though just like last week, it felt like another match where Dallas left points on the table.
Key Moments
7’ – GOAL! After a poor pass back by a LA defender, Petar Musa was free to go one-on-one with the LA goalkeeper. After a touch to get ahead of a defender, Musa slotted home his eighth goal of the season from outside the penalty box.
21’ – Offside! Joaquin Valiente sent a floating ball over the Galaxy defense, where Musa was able to get behind the defense and make an easy play for what appeared to be his second goal of the night. The play was called offside despite a fairly lengthy review period.
38’ – GOAL! This one counts! Musa gets his second of the night off a great ball from Chris Cappis. Logan Farrington picked off the ball in the midfield. He then played Cappis wide to the left of the penalty area. Cappis immediately played a ball back across the goal for Musa to slide in and finish for his ninth of the season.
43’ – Goal LA. Lucas Sanabria got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He took a couple of touches to get outside the penalty box before firing a shot that beat Michael Collodi at the near post.
45+4’ – Goal LA. Gabriel Pec got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He pulled the ball back a bit, which caught a pair of Dallas defenders. This allowed Joseph Painstil to get free behind the Dallas defense as Pec played him through inside the penalty area. Pec immediately smashed home a shot above Collodi to tie the game.
75’ – Another offside goal. This time on a corner kick for Dallas, after a scrum in the penalty box, Kaick hammered home what looked to be the go-ahead goal. But after a few seconds the flag was raised due to a deflection on Osaze Urhoghide, who was in an offside position.
Instant Reaction
Yeah, this is another disappointing result for this team. In a real way, it felt like the first half against Houston from last month. Dallas grabbed the lead, looked in control, but some defensive miscues opened the game up for the visitors to climb back.
With a double-game week coming up, this will certainly be another game where Dallas will wonder ‘what if’ more than anything else…especially when you factor in the two goals called off for offside.
About the Subs
Eric Quill went to his bench for the first time in the 66th minute, as he brought on Santiago Moreno for Logan Farrington. Quill went to his bench again 81st minute with Ran Binyamin and Nolan Norris coming on for Sebastien Ibeagha and Deedson. The final sub came during stoppage time with Herman Johansson and Joaquin Valiente coming off for Sam Sarver and rookie Nick Simmonds, who made his MLS debut.
Man of the Match
No question about it tonight, it has to be Musa.
Where does this fit into the season
As of this writing, the draw puts Dallas into a three-way tie for 5th place with Real Salt Lake and Seattle. Both are in action right now and look firmly in control of their games. I’d expect Dallas to be in 7th place by the end of the night.
What’s next for FC Dallas
Dallas wraps up a three-game homestand next Wednesday night as they host Minnesota United.
Dallas, TX
Akheem Mesidor selected by Cowboys by Blogging The Boys in SB Nation’s community mock draft
Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami
Pass rush has been an issue since the Micah Parsons trade. The Rashan Gary trade helped, but Dallas still needs an injection of talent. Akheem Mesidor fits here because his body size allows for some versatility inside and out, something DC Christian Parker utilizes. Mesidor is also a high-motor player with a deep bag of pass rush moves.
His last season at Miami was full of disruption in the offensive backfield and he shows an all-around game, not just a bend-around-the-edge pass rusher. Yes, he’s a little older than you’d like in a rookie (25), but his motor, pass rush toolbox, and ability to play the run matches up with a need and makes him a quality pick at number 20.
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