Dallas Mavericks fire GM who traded Luka Doncic to Lakers
This story has been updated with new information
The Dallas Mavericks fired embattled general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, Nov. 11, less than 10 months after orchestrating the controversial trade that sent former star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, owner Patrick Dumont announced in a news release.
The Mavericks appointed former player Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi as co-interim general managers in Harrison’s place and announced that a comprehensive search will begin for a permanent replacement.
‘This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that delivers for our players, our partners, and most importantly, our fans,’ Dumont said in a statement.
The moves come in the wake of the Mavericks’ rough start to the 2025-26 season with guard Kyrie Irving and forward Anthony Davis sidelined by injury. It culminated with Monday’s 116-114 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks during which multiple ‘Fire Nico’ chants by fans inside American Airlines Center during a fourth-quarter Bucks’ comeback overshadowed a career-best 26 points by Dallas’ No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.
Dumont was in attendance at the game as the Mavericks fell to 3-8 for the season.
The Mavericks hired Harrison, a former Nike executive, in June 2021 and the team reached the conference finals and the NBA Finals in 2024 during his first three years leading basketball operations. But he took immediate criticism for his decision to trade Doncic, including fan protests outside of home games last year. The scrutiny continued even after the franchise earned the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and selected Flagg.
In an open letter to fans released after Harrison’s dismissal on Tuesday, Dumont wrote that ‘no one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all believed would be a promising season. You have high expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When the results don’t meet expectations, it’s my responsibility to act.
‘Though the majority of the 2025-26 season remains to be played, and I know our players are deeply committed to a winning culture, this decision was critical to moving our franchise forward in a positive direction.’
