It is in all probability not information to any NBA followers that the Dallas Mavericks are experiencing some turbulence proper now.
In 2025 alone, the franchise has traded away celebrity Luka Dončić, spent months defending the choice, missed the playoffs after reaching the NBA Finals a 12 months earlier, begun the 2025-26 season with a 4-11 file and, lastly, fired general manager Nico Harrison, the person who pushed for the Dončić resolution that has turn out to be maybe essentially the most criticized commerce within the historical past of basketball.
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And that is simply within the public sphere.
In personal, in response to ESPN’s Tim McMahon, there had been a push-and-pull between Harrison and minority proprietor Mark Cuban, with majority proprietor Patrick Dumont within the center.
At one level, Cuban — who bought his majority stake in 2023 however claimed he would nonetheless oversee basketball selections — was sidelined to the purpose that he learned about the Dončić trade at the same time as fans. As of final week, nevertheless, he was again within the circle of belief — and reportedly pushing for Dumont to fireplace the manager he himself employed in 2021.
Per ESPN, Cuban spent the summer time criticizing Harrison’s roster development with Dumont, flagging the roster’s lack of off-dribble creators and taking pictures. The staff now ranks because the second-worst offense within the NBA by offensive score, between the Washington Wizards and Tyrese Haliburton-less Indiana Pacers. The staff’s lack of guard depth has been evident this season, to the purpose that 18-year-old Cooper Flagg had to make his NBA debut out of position as the team’s starting point guard.
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With Harrison out, Dumont has reportedly gone with a “GM by committee” method that includes interim co-general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi (beforehand Harrison’s assistant normal managers), head coach Jason Kidd and, after all, Cuban.
It is an association that Cuban is proud of, per ESPN, even when he nonetheless does not have the management he as soon as held:
“He is strolling round on air proper now,” a staff supply stated. “Cuban’s floating in his Skechers.”
However Cuban is not returning to his shot-caller standing inside the Mavs. Nor will he ever. As one supply put it, Cuban bought that proper.
“He is a advisor, not a decision-maker,” one other supply stated. “However he is on the desk.”
Cuban is on the file a number of instances as important of the Dončić commerce, each for the essential resolution of letting go the star he had put in as majority proprietor and for the shadowy course of Harrison performed the maneuver. To be able to threat leaks — particularly Dončić or Cuban discovering out and making an attempt to kill the deal — Harrison zeroed in on the Los Angeles Lakers as his commerce companion and in the end obtained solely the oft-injured Anthony Davis, younger guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round decide.
Nico Harrison had taken full management of Mavericks’ basketball selections from Mark Cuban
Harrison having the ability to swing the deal displays the complete belief Dumont had in him on the time. Per ESPN, he took credit score for the Mavericks’ Finals run in 2024, partially made potential by key commerce deadline offers for Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, whereas additionally criticizing the staff’s five-game loss to the Boston Celtics on Doncic’s defensive struggles.
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In the end, Harrison received the connection to the purpose the place the one particular person he needed to hold pleased was Dumont:
“Nico did a hell of a gross sales job,” a Mavs official stated. “He took credit score for all the things that was accomplished. When Patrick requested questions — requested how we received Kyrie, how the draft occurred, and many others. — [Harrison] stated he was the man. We received on a roll and went to the Finals. Idiot’s gold.”
Dumont would often ask Harrison to “hold Mark within the fold” relating to personnel discussions and selections, sources stated. Harrison would agree to take action earlier than blowing it off. The contact at this level between Cuban and Dumont was minimal, given the staff’s success. Cuban and Harrison not often spoke to one another.
“Nico constructed the moat and put up the fence and stated, ‘I received this!'” one supply conversant in the dynamic between Harrison and Dumont stated. “Clearly, that was the fallacious technique.”
Harrison’s considerations about Dončić because the Mavericks’ long-term franchise star have been no secret. He repeatedly threw out the cliché “Protection wins championships” whereas justifying a swap of Dončić for Davis and reportedly clashed with the Dončić camp over the recovery timeline of a calf strain.
Mark Cuban has made it very clear he would have by no means traded Luka Dončić. (Photograph by Tim Heitman/Getty Photos)
(Tim Heitman by way of Getty Photos)
Per ESPN, Harrison believed a five-year, $345 million supermax contract, which Dončić was about to be eligible for, could be an terrible funding and stated as a lot to Dumont, whereas pointing to conditioning considerations, poor off-court habits and recurring calf strains. He reportedly used Dončić’s hesitance to return from a calf pressure as proof that he wasn’t absolutely dedicated to Dallas.
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In the meantime, Cuban reportedly chafed at his lack of management. Per ESPN, he privately claimed he solely employed Harrison, beforehand a Nike government with no entrance workplace expertise, attributable to his relationships with gamers and brokers, by no means planning for Harrison to truly be the decision-maker. After the sale, Harrison reportedly noticed Cuban as an pointless voice within the room and satisfied Dumont to let him take over.
And now, it is Cuban again within the saddle as Dallas pivots to specializing in constructing round Flagg, which seemingly means tearing down all the things Harrison constructed, possibly starting with a trade of Davis.
