Ever since Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, the sun has just shined a little bit brighter in the morning for everyone and anyone with interest of seeing the team thrive. For the Dallas Mavericks, it was nothing but dull and gray skies that clouded the days with agony.
Fans in Dallas were understandably outraged. Their generational talent was given away on a silver platter to a gleeful franchise in Los Angeles. The public outcry was immense. The chants of 'Fire Nico' were impossible to ignore.
The situation only grew worse this season. The Mavericks were struggling out of the gates, with their offense being the driving force behind that. The Lakers, meanwhile, were thriving with Doncic performing like an unstoppable MVP candidate.
Suddenly, the question of what to do with Nico Harrison become a very real one. The answer was given on Tuesday morning, with Shams Charania and several others, reporting that Harrison and the Mavericks were ready to head in separate directions. A predictable, but needed, fate in Dallas.
Harrison and the Mavericks could not escape their Luka Doncic blunder
Everyone saw it coming. The discussions were endless. The sellout streak in the Mavericks arena ended. Extra safety measures were being put in place to protect the front office in Dallas. It was a nightmare reality for the franchise that sent the Slovenian superstar packing to Los Angeles.
One of the most eye-opening assessments of the situation came from Jake Fischer. The NBA insider chimed in, after the reports of Harrison's firing came out, to explain just how bad it was for the Mavericks.
Fischer wrote on Twitter/X, "My biggest takeaway from being in the Mavericks’ locker room and around team personnel on Saturday in D.C. was Dallas folks saying it was more difficult to get through home games and the deafening 'Fire Nico' chants than to play on the road."
When the home games are worse than what the opposing fans have to offer, something had to give. Harrison was right at the epicenter of the situation, and, unsurprisingly, received the axe. How could he not?
Rob thanking Nico at the presser lol pic.twitter.com/sokjjzxqlx
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 4, 2025
This was a man Rob Pelinka was openly thanking in the press conference to announce the Doncic trade. Naturally, there was no ill intent behind that, or even a perceived slight. However, the optics of that were never going to look good for anyone in Dallas.
Mavericks fans were never shy about their frustrations and dismay. Even when fluking into landing the first overall pick offered brief release, Cooper Flagg could not save the front office from the hellfire.
The Harrison decision should give the Mavericks a slight bit of relief after everything that has happened. Perhaps Doncic getting the last laugh on the general manager will feel like a victory for everyone. That is, before Dallas remembers what jersey Luka puts on every gameday.