Former General Manager Nico Harrison isn’t solely to blame for the Dallas Mavericks’ issues. After all, Harrison, 52, helped build a championship-caliber team that reached two Western Conference Finals and one NBA Finals. Here’s a closer look at the divisive topic.
Nico Harrison Isn’t Solely To Blame
The Mavericks hired Harrison in June 2021, just days after the team parted ways with General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson.
The Mavericks’ hiring of Nike’s Vice President of Basketball was rather unusual, as Harrison had no NBA front-office experience. However, his ability to turn the team into Western Conference Champions was superb because of the acquisitions of Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford over the course of a year.
Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont reportedly signed off on the Luka Doncic trade, but Dumont later decided to fire the 52-year-old as the results didn’t match the team’s expectations.
Dallas is 0-2 after Harrison’s firing, which screams the importance of a healthy roster free from injuries. That is also the reason why Head Coach Jason Kidd should stop the Cooper Flagg at point guard experiment. Even Kidd’s eldest son, Trey Jason, criticized his father’s decision and expressed sympathy for the tough situation Flagg is in.
Nico Harrison’s Potential Outlook
Harrison’s potential outlook appears to be low-key. The Montana State Bobcats Hall of Famer recently changed his Instagram biography to “Girl dad” and “Unemployed” — and rightfully so.
The Montana State alum has two daughters, Noelle and Nia, with his wife, award-winning television producer Darlise. Nia committed to USC’s track and field team, which means there’s a chance that the former will take the latter to Los Angeles Lakers games to watch Doncic.
Final Thoughts
The Mavericks’ firing of Harrison marked the end of a turbulent nine months of bold moves, fan protests, and “Fire Nico” chants that escalated after the shocking Doncic trade. For most of the fanbase, the team’s firing brought relief, but not necessarily satisfaction.
For example, longtime fan Matthew Slovak said the move felt inevitable. Slovak told CNN, “Still apathetic about the team. Every Mavs fan knew the moment the trade happened that Nico would eventually be fired.
“This still does not change that (owner Patrick) Dumont knows nothing about basketball. … Unless they bring Dirk (Nowitzki, a franchise legend) back into the fold with an official position, preferably general manager, I will have no faith in Dumont or who he hires to make good decisions.”
Slovak added that the only thing keeping him invested in the team is the potential of Flagg, 18. Hopefully, other fans can follow suit as the team may take a while to rebuild trust, but can certainly build around the 18-year-old
