Nico Harrison's firing is being applauded all around the DFW area. Dallas Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont had no choice but to get rid of his GM following a PR nightmare for the Mavericks for the last nine months. It simply could not continue. Harrison was considered one of the best GMs from the summer of 2024, thanks to signing Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes, and Klay Thompson. Those moves may fumble themselves out with Harrison's firing.
Harrison was the one who brought in Klay Thompson to pair with Luka Doncic and gain some true championship experience to help Dallas get their second title. The Doncic trade has hurt fans, but it has also hurt Thompson. Doncic was supposed to be the main facilitator for Thompson to get some decent looks from deep, and with the guards not performing too well right now, this is backfiring directly on Thompson's game.
Is this a sign for the Mavs to change house completely? If so, expect Thompson to get involved in even more trade talks. He's playing some of the worst basketball of his life, and with new leaders at the head of the front office in Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, this opens a whole new conversation for many players, including Thompson, to be on his way out.
Harrison's firing might be the last straw for Thompson in Dallas
Thompson was brought in not just to be the veteran piece for a young team, but also to resurrect his career after being benched by the Golden State Warriors after several cold spells. In the 2024-25 season, Thompson performed at an adequate level as a Maverick, averaging 14 points and shooting 39 percent from downtown.
With Thompson on the bench, it's not a good sign. He didn't like being on the bench in Golden State, and he probably will feel the same with Dallas, especially after an ugly start.
Harrison and Thompson have a great relationship, with Harrison mentioning that the Mavericks were only a "Klay Thompson away" from a championship when they brought him in. You can't say that and also trade away your MVP-caliber player in the middle of the season. With Harrison's dismissal, this can almost mean that Thompson's days of being a Maverick are pretty much over.
Since then, Anthony Davis has been wearing street clothes more than his uniform. Grimes being traded only added to the "Fire Nico" chants that plagued American Airlines Center for a good nine months, including Doncic's return, and he dropped 45 points in a revenge tour.
Since then, he's been way off. Thompson isn't even playing 20 minutes a game. Instead, he's averaging 7.4 points a game, along with shooting less than 30 percent from 3-point range. This isn't the Thompson that Mavs fans expected, and his poor shooting will be what eventually ships him off.
Thompson's loyalty to the Mavericks can't be denied. Watching videos of the 2011 NBA championship surely means he wants to stay in Dallas, but that was also before the season. That was back when Harrison was still the GM.. Things have quickly changed, and Thompson might be gone.
Mavs fans love Thompson. Getting traded won't take that away, but Dumont has clearly made a business decision that might not end with Harrison's firing, and Thompson might be next on the list to go.