Mavericks expected to fire embattled GM Nico Harrison

The Dallas Mavericks are anticipated to maneuver on from embattled president of basketball operations and basic supervisor Nico Harrison, based on Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports that Harrison’s dismissal is considered as “imminent.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon confirm Stein’s reporting, stating that Harrison is anticipated to be let go at a ten:00 am Central time assembly on Tuesday.

MacMahon said on Monday that he believed it was a matter of “when, not if” Harrison shall be fired, indicating that governor Patrick Dumont‘s belief within the Mavs’ prime basketball govt has “disintegrated.” Christian Clark of The Athletic echoed that reporting this morning, writing that Harrison’s exit was thought of inevitable.

A former Nike govt, Harrison helped assemble a Mavericks roster that superior to the NBA Finals in 2024, making key offers for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford throughout that season. Nevertheless, he has made a handful of missteps since then, most notably sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers final February in a stunning commerce that sparked a revolt amongst Dallas followers.

Whereas the Doncic blockbuster has overshadowed the remainder of the Mavs’ latest strikes, Harrison has made different questionable roster choices inside the previous 12 months, together with one other 2025 deadline deal that despatched Quentin Grimes to Philadelphia for Caleb Martin. That commerce moved the Mavs so near their laborious cap that they had been unable so as to add any reinforcements — even on 10-day contracts — when accidents decimated their roster throughout the second half.

After lacking the playoffs within the spring, the Mavericks had been thrown a lifeline with a long-shot draft lottery win — they claimed the No. 1 general decide regardless of having only a 1.8% likelihood and used that choice to draft prime prospect Cooper Flagg. Nevertheless, whereas Flagg figures to be the long-term franchise participant in Dallas, his arrival hasn’t helped flip issues round within the quick time period.

The Mavs are off to a 3-8 begin this season, with a 2-6 document at residence, the place followers have regularly regaled the group with “Hearth Nico” chants. As MacMahon writes for ESPN, that chant bubbled up a number of instances throughout Monday’s loss to the Bucks, which was the primary recreation Dumont had attended for the reason that common season opener.

Whereas Dumont in the end signed off on the Doncic commerce final season, a fan who had a courtside dialog with the Mavericks’ majority proprietor at Monday’s recreation told Clark that Dumont mentioned he “feels horrible” in regards to the deal.

Accidents have performed a component within the Mavs’ struggles since February’s commerce deadline. Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return within the Doncic deal, appeared in simply 9 video games for Dallas final season and has missed six of 11 contests up to now this season because of a calf pressure. Level guard Kyrie Irving, who grew to become extra vital than ever with out Doncic on the roster, sustained an ACL tear in early March and has been out since then.

Nonetheless, the Mavs knew coming into the offseason that they wouldn’t have Irving out there for a major chunk of the season, and Harrison’s most vital transfer to handle that gap — signing free agent D’Angelo Russell — hasn’t labored out up to now. Russell has began simply three of 11 video games this fall and hasn’t performed as much as his regular requirements, making simply 37.3% of his area aim makes an attempt, together with 27.8% of his three-point tries.

With Harrison on the way in which out, there was a “push” from some members of the group to attempt to convey again veteran govt Dennis Lindsey, according to Stein. A former Harrison advisor in Dallas, Lindsey was employed by the Pistons in 2024 as their senior VP of basketball operations.

Chris Mannix of SI.com, in the meantime, suggests there was some chatter within the NBA about Jason Kidd shifting from head coach to a front-office position.

For now, although, the Mavs determine to put in an interim alternative for Harrison, per Stein and Mannix. Assistant basic managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are among the many prime candidates to tackle elevated roles, Mannix adds.

It stays to be seen what kind of imaginative and prescient a brand new head of basketball operations can have for the Mavs going ahead — rebuilding round Flagg is a chance, however not essentially an inevitability. For what it’s price, Stein reports that Davis’ agent Wealthy Paul has established a robust relationship with Dumont and that the 2 events talk commonly.