With the Dallas Mavericks’ early-season struggles, it’s hard not to look at Nico Harrison as the one responsible for all of this. This has left the Mavericks with no choice but to adapt to their current situation. One way of doing so is by firing Nico Harrison, which isn’t too surprising after the 3-8 start. Following his dismissal, more details have emerged regarding the Mavericks’ process leading up to their decision.
What Led to the Mavericks’ Firing of Nico Harrison?
NBA Insider Marc Stein revealed what convinced the Mavericks that it was time to move on, starting with the fanbase letting them know how they felt about Harrison.
“During a fall-from-ahead loss Monday night to the Milwaukee Bucks, Nico Harrison was actually subjected to only a few fourth-quarter strains of the Fire Nico chant that has become so commonplace in Mavsland since the spring, but league sources tell The Stein Line that a decision had essentially already been made by that point,” Stein wrote.
He added that owner Patrick Dumont had met up with Mavericks’ brass to discuss Harrison before their decision.
“Dumont arrived at the American Airlines Center for Monday’s game far earlier than usual, nearly two hours before tipoff,” Stein wrote. “Sources say he met behind closed doors pregame with both team president Rick Welts and former majority owner Mark Cuban and duly scheduled meetings for Tuesday to end Harrison’s reign and also to meet with players directly to talk about the timing of the change.”
First edition of my story on the end of the Nico Harrison Era with the Mavericks … with the story to be updated as the day unfolds: https://t.co/E0beggGp7e https://t.co/VUwjU4DSYP
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 11, 2025
This decision felt very inevitable. There are no ifs, ands, or buts around Harrison’s downright stupefying decision to trade a superstar just entering his prime like Luka Dončić less than a year after he took the Mavericks to their third NBA Finals appearance.
As crazy as that was, what made it worse was what he and the Mavericks got in return for Dončić. Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first-round pick for someone who will set the Lakers’ future for the next decade. The only way this could have worked is if the Mavericks had won a title from it, but they missed the playoffs.
Following that up with a downright terrible start to the season, it was clear that whatever Mavericks’ management thought Harrison was cooking had completely given up on that notion.
The real question if he gets another job in the NBA after the damage he’s done to the franchise he was running.
