Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison speaks to the media at the Dallas Mavericks Practice Facility.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks have undergone a major shift both with respect to their roster and the front office in recent months after the arrival of Masai Ujiri. That recently culminated with the Klay Thompson buyout, with the Warriors legend joining the Miami Heat to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Now, it seems as if two further departures have happened in Dallas behind the scenes, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
“I’m told vice president of strategy and analytics Andrew Baker and director of pro player personnel Makhtar Ndiaye parted ways with the franchise earlier this month,” he wrote.
Both Baker and Ndiaye were hired by Nico Harrison, and continued to work with the Mavericks after his departure under co-interim GMs Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley. Both worked through July but were recently let go by the franchise.
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The quiet move means that Michael Finley is not the only existing personnel at the Mavericks from Harrison’s regime. Finley currently works as an interim GM and was a two-time All-Star in Dallas during his playing career, winning the NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2007.
His history with the franchise may undoubtedly have played a role in his stay. Regardless, as far as Baker and Ndiaye are concerned, the former was kept in place due to a flurry of successful offseason moves that he reportedly made. On the other hand, Ndiaye is also the General Manager of the Senegal National team, and is set to enter a pivotal stretch of qualifying games alongside coach and former Mavericks big man DeSagana Diop.
The Mavericks have effectively cleaned house after the firing of Nico Harrison, which stemmed from outrage against a range fo decisions, most prominently the ill-fated trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.