In a city fueled by loyalty, forgiveness is hard to come by. The city of Dallas has yet to get over the shock of the Luka Dončić trade and still holds it strong in its hearts. And if there is anyone who bore the heat the most in this entire saga, it’s Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison.
Dallas vented its anger in the phrase “Fire Nico,” which has been echoed in every major stadium in the city. Understandably, the man in the target did not enjoy this. But since the trade, he had yet to speak in public about that. That silence broke at the end-of-the-season press conference.
What Did Nico Harrison Have To Say About the ‘Fire Nico’ Chants?
Speaking candidly about the chants, Harrison’s word choice is baffling — describing the moments as “awesome,” but not in a good way.
“You can really feel how they feel,” Harrison admitted. “So yes, I feel them. How am I doing? I’m good. God’s got me covered. I have an amazing family and an amazing support group to get through it. But I absolutely feel it. But also my job is to make decisions in the best interests of this organization, and I gotta stand by the decision even though sometimes it will be really unpopular.”
ESPN analyst Tim MacMahon pinpointed the first domino that tipped in this series of controversial moves in Dallas to be the firing of longtime head athletic trainer Casey Smith, who was known to be close to Dončić.
Harrison’s role in Smith’s departure marked the beginning of the end for Dallas’ internal chemistry. The ripple effects eventually led to the Dončić trade, but Harrison remained steadfast in his decision.
“I think I’ve done a really good job here. We’ve had a lot of injuries…” he said. “You’ll see next year we’ll be competing for a championship.”
Harrison is not completely wrong about the number of injuries that Dallas sustained in the latter half of the season. Kyrie Irving’s ACL tear in early March was a devastating blow and simultaneously marked the collapse of the Mavericks’ immediate playoff hopes.
The average recovery for an ACL tear spans roughly 12 months. However, not all ACL tears are equally severe, and as Irving approaches the twilight of his career, the complexity of such an injury and the rustiness of being sidelined for so long can hinder Dallas’ postseason hopes come next year. But the team remains oddly optimistic that Irving could return as early as January.
READ: Nico Harrison Awkwardly Dodges Pointed Luka Dončić Question as Fans Demand Mavs GM Be Fired
Add to that, the persistent fragility of Anthony Davis, who was another gamble in Harrison’s roster construction, seems more a liability than an asset.
In the face of it all, Harrison isn’t backing down. He asserts time and time again that his best interests lie in those of the organization.
It’ll take more than a postseason appearance or perhaps a championship to get Harrison back on his feet. But one thing remains certain: Dallas is still bleeding, and the wound is difficult to heal.
