The man who giftwrapped Luka Doncic and traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers was always going to face questions of job security at some point. With how terrible the Dallas Mavericks have been to start the 2025-26 season, that time is quickly arriving for Nico Harrison.
Doncic has looked sensational for the Lakers in the early parts of the new campaign. A historic scoring surge to begin 2025-26 has only made the Mavericks look worse by contrast. Dallas' offense has struggled mightily, making several members of the team appear absolutely horrific.
The Mavs currently have the worst relative offensive rating in NBA history, according to @bball_ref. pic.twitter.com/FMt2cDE4Jh
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) November 6, 2025
There is still time for the Mavericks to flip the script. Klay Thompson sure did believe in himself and the team being due for a big turnaround. The legendary shooter told as much to Dallas reporter Brad Townsend.
Thompson told Townsend, "I’m finally feeling like myself again. And you just know as a shooter, when that ball is just effortlessly flicking off your wrist. You know big things are coming.”
Meanwhile, other reporters have quickly begun focusing on when the axe drops in Dallas. ESPN's Tim MacMahon was certainly ready to invite that conversation.
Luka Doncic trade began ticking clock for Nico Harrison's future in Dallas
MacMahon appeared on a recent episode of Howdy Partners for ESPN. Whether the Mavericks are internally discussing moving on from Harrison was unclear, but the reporter did mention it is the first topic of discussion for anyone else in the NBA.
MacMahon said, "Is Nico Harrison's job in serious jeopardy? ... It's the question, obviously, Mavericks fans had been hoping would be answered with an affirmative since early February. ... When you talk to people about the Mavericks around the league, it's the first question that people are asking."
Who could have known that giving away a generational talent would have this kind of fallout? In case it was not clear, that was definitely written with a very sarcastic tone.
The Lakers, certainly, will have no complaints with the job Harrison has done in Dallas. If one were to ask anyone in Los Angeles, the Mavericks general manager deserves a lifetime contract extension.
Watching the demise of the organization that revived the Lakers' future has been somewhat of a guilty pleasure for many in Los Angeles. That is a bit odd, considering how much the Mavericks helped the Lakers. Even so, this may be one of those cases where you want to have your cake and eat it too.