Dallas Mavericks executives have been under fire from fans since trading star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 2nd.
Published November 12, 2025
The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, nine months after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and leaving the organization in dire straits.
Team owner Patrick Dumont announced the firing of Harrison, who was also Dallas’ president of basketball operations. The Mavericks finished with a 3-8 record, trailing Bullock.
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“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization that serves our players, partners, and most importantly, our fans,” Dumont said.
In an open letter to fans, Dumont acknowledged that “these difficult months have had a huge impact.”
The team has named Michael Finley and Matt Ricciardi co-interim general managers to oversee basketball operations. The search for a permanent replacement begins.
Riccardi is the team’s assistant general manager. Finley, an NBA player for 15 years, joined the Mavericks’ front office in 2017 and held various positions.
Harrison, a former Nike executive, was hired on June 28, 2021, and the Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals in his first year. In the 2023-24 season, the Mavericks lost to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in five games.
But just seven months later, Harrison sent Doncic, a five-time first-team All-NBA selection, to the West in a blockbuster trade amid fan outrage and frenzy.
Fan pressure to fire Harrison
Harrison’s firing was announced a day after Dumont was seen talking to a fan wearing a gold Lakers version of Doncic’s No. 77 during the second half of Monday’s 116-114 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
“Fire Nico!” chants could be heard in the fourth quarter of the game, when Dallas took a 13-point lead.
Since Harrison signed a multi-year contract extension in June 2024, the Mavericks fan base’s tone regarding Harrison has changed.
Harrison, 52, accepted responsibility for the trade and defended Doncic, claiming he had concerns about his size and conditioning efforts.
Doncic played his last game with the Mavericks on Christmas Day 2024, injuring his left calf in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Mavericks were 19-10 starting that game and 26-23 by the time Doncic was traded on February 1, 2025. Without him on the roster, the Mavericks finished 13-20 and missed the playoffs.
Anthony Davis, a 10-time All-Star big man who was a key cog in the Lakers’ return, suffered an adductor strain in his debut with Dallas and was sidelined for six weeks.
Davis, 32, is currently sidelined with a calf strain, while 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, 18, is adjusting to life in the NBA.
In the loss to the Bucks, Flagg scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
