Nearly nine months after the stunning trade that sent franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks are still feeling the aftershocks. While the front office has tried to move forward, landing No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg in the draft, the wound remains raw for much of the fan base.
General manager Nico Harrison has become the lightning rod for that frustration. Trading away a top-three talent less than a year after the team’s first NBA Finals appearance was always going to draw outrage, but the anger has only deepened as the losses pile up. Now, after another embarrassing defeat, Mavs fans have made their message clear: they want Harrison gone.
‘Fire Nico!’ Chants Echo Through Mavericks’ American Airlines Center
Winning tends to make everything better in the NBA, but so far, the Mavericks haven’t come close to doing that, and it’s Harrison who’s feeling the heat.
The 2025–26 season began with plenty of buzz as Dallas squared off against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. The matchup promised intrigue, featuring duels between Wembanyama and Anthony Davis up front and rookies Dylan Harper and Cooper Flagg on the wings.
Instead of a statement win, the Mavericks were steamrolled. Wembanyama dominated on both ends, racking up 40 points and 15 rebounds in just 30 minutes, while the Spurs cruised to a blowout victory.
Dallas then returned home for what should have been a bounce-back game against the rebuilding Washington Wizards. But the night spiraled into another embarrassment as a 117–107 loss left the crowd fuming, and fans began chanting “Fire Nico!” in unison towards the general manager.
“‘Fire Nico’ chant starts as the Win Now Mavs are losing to the Wizards,” a fan wrote, sharing the video of the loud chant on X.
“Fire Nico” chant starts as the Win Now Mavs are losing to the Wizards. pic.twitter.com/v4ls6U5Gi7
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) October 25, 2025
What’s perhaps even more telling is how Mavericks fans have begun to describe themselves online. Many now jokingly call themselves “free agent fans,” claiming they’re on the open market until Harrison is shown the door.
“So you’re saying there’s a chance I can come back to my team, AWESOME! I thought being a free agent fan would be more fun, but this has sucked,” one wrote.
“My last engagement with Mavs media/content was y’all’s Locked On reaction show. Looking forward to jumping back in if they ever #FireNico,” wrote another.
“So proud of our fanbase. Not letting Nico off the hook just because he drafted Cooper Flagg,” another fan wrote.
So proud of our fanbase. Not letting Nico off the hook just because he drafted Cooper Flagg
— Sev Jones (@SevJones1) October 25, 2025
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis, brought in as part of the Dončić blockbuster, has performed well, opening the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds against the Spurs, followed by another double-double (27 points, 13 rebounds) versus Washington.
However, his production pales in comparison to Dončić’s explosive performances in Los Angeles, where the former Maverick continues to post nightly 40-point outings.
It’s far too early to write off Dallas entirely, especially with Kyrie Irving still sidelined and expected to return soon. But as long as the Mavericks stumble, Harrison will remain under intense scrutiny.
Since trading away Dončić, he’s faced unrelenting criticism, first for missing the playoffs after a Finals run, and now for an 0–2 start to a season that’s already testing the patience of a restless, heartbroken fan base.
