Mark Cuban forced the firing of Nico Harrison from the Mavs for kicking Doncic

The year 2025 has been a whirlwind for the Dallas Mavericks. In just a few months, the franchise went from competing in the NBA Finals to trading Luka Doncic, justifying the most criticized operation in years for weeks, missing the playoffs, starting the 2025-26 season with a 4-11 record, and finally, firing the general manager Nico Harrison, the architect of the move that completely altered the team's direction.

Behind that public collapse lay an internal struggle within the Dallas Mavericks. According to ESPN, Harrison and minority owner Mark Cuban had tensions for some time, with Patrick Dumont —the majority shareholder— caught in between. At certain points, Cuban was so out of the loop that he found out about the trade involving Doncic at the same time as the fans. However, in recent weeks, he had regained influence and pressured Dumont to dismiss the executive he had hired in 2021.

The poor roster planning was a recurring theme. Cuban spent the summer pointing out the lack of shooters and ball handlers, a combination that has left the team with the second-worst offense in the league. The shortage of point guards reached a critical point when 18-year-old rookie Cooper Flagg had to debut as the starting point guard.

Following Harrison's departure, Dumont has opted for a temporary co-management model between Michael Finley, Matt Riccardi, Jason Kidd, and Cuban himself. The plan is to hire a new general manager later on, although for now, the former owner enjoys his renewed space in decision-making, despite no longer having the absolute authority of yesteryears. As sources cited by ESPN suggest, Cuban participates and gives his opinion, but his role is advisory.

The origin of the conflict

The origin of the conflict was the trade that sent Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. Harrison argued that the Slovenian was not a long-term sure bet, citing defensive issues, doubts about his physical condition, and a future supermax contract he considered excessive. Dumont trusted that analysis, partly due to Harrison's ability to attribute the journey to the 2024 Finals to himself and downplay the weight of other factors.

Meanwhile, Cuban never approved of the trade. He maintained that Harrison, a former Nike executive, was hired for his network of contacts and not to have total control over sporting decisions. With the new direction, the Mavericks seem to be heading towards a rebuild around Flagg, a process that could involve undoing much of what was built under Harrison's leadership, including a possible move affecting Davis.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mark Cuban forzó el despido de Nico Harrison de los Mavs por la patada a Doncic