In February, the Dallas Mavericks took the NBA by storm after trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. The fallout with fans was immediate, with some even jumping in to protest against the ownership and general manager, Nico Harrison. In fact, there was no dearth of ‘fire Nico’ chants as the 2025-26 season kicked off.
Months later, on November 11, the Mavericks finally gave the fans what they wanted and parted ways with Harrison. And while most are appreciative of the shock move, some NBA analysts and players remain in favor of Harrison’s time in Dallas.
Some NBA Analyst Chose to Support Nico Harrison Despite a Problematic 2025-26 Campaign
With constant rejection from fans and a disappointing 3-8 start to the season, Harrison’s eventual departure from Dallas was widely anticipated. However, the team parted ways abruptly, the shock news taking the NBA world by storm.
And though most Dallas fans cheered for their favorite team, a few still deemed Harrison’s firing a mistake.
Skip Bayless, known for his sharp takes, was quick to dismiss the move as ‘dumb’ on Twitter (now X): “Firing Nico now is a dumb premature gutless overreaction to an early 3-8 record, just as Cooper Flagg is getting his rookie legs underneath him, AD is about to return from his calf pull and Kyrie is said to be on schedule to return by midseason.”
Firing Nico now is a dumb premature gutless overreaction to an early 3-8 record, just as Cooper Flagg is getting his rookie legs underneath him, AD is about to return from his calf pull and Kyrie is said to be on schedule to return by midseason.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 11, 2025
Currently playing without Kyrie Irving (torn ACL), the Mavericks have been relying on Anthony Davis (suffering from a calf injury), P.J. Washington, and rookie Cooper Flagg. As per Bayless, the team needed to give Harrison some time to adjust after trading Dončić and wait until the team was at full strength.
With Flagg finally coming into his own and Irving close to recovery, a healthy Mavericks team could certainly turn their tide around during the latter half of the season.
Mojave King, building on what Bayless said, was full of praise for Harrison. “Nico Harrison gave Dallas the best teams we’ve had since 2011. He was a very good GM that made one bad move. He should’ve been given a chance to fix this. He’s the greatest GM we’re ever had. Thank you, Nico #MFFL,” King explained on X.
Legion Hoops chalked it up to a panic move, believing the team had time to turn it around. They brought up injured players like Irving and Dereck Lively (foot), wondering why they took such a hasty call.
“I think they should’ve given them a chance to come back and play together this year, and then make a decision in the offseason,” the account concluded.
Furthermore, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green came to Harrison’s defense. He argued that we never got to see the Mavericks’ roster at full strength, making it unfair for everyone to judge Harrison while everyone was injured.
“Y’all just want to go point the finger at Nico because that was a storyline…That is whack to me,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show”.
Draymond Green came to Nico Harrison’s defense, saying we never truly got to see the roster he built at full strength
“Y’all just want to go point the finger at Nico because that was a storyline…That is whack to me.”
(🎥 @DraymondShow )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 11, 2025
Having said that, a few fans agreed with Green and Bayless, wondering if they could have turned it around later on. Irving is known for his playoff prowess and dominant scoring, and could be a force to be reckoned with if reunited with Davis, Flagg, and Lively.
And while he’s struggling to find his groove in Dallas, the team also has Klay Thompson to rely on.
Mavericks Owner Patrick Dumont Reveals Why Harrison was Fired in Blunt Letter to Fans
As fans and analysts tried to imagine the Mavericks’ future, owner Patrick Dumont shared a candid letter explaining their decision:
Patrick Dumont’s open letter to fans. pic.twitter.com/7D4L5PJp7r
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) November 11, 2025
Dumont highlighted that no one was happy with the team’s start, especially in what they thought would be a promising start. He admitted that fans have high expectations, and ownership wants to match them.
However, fans weren’t entirely happy with Dumont’s words, wondering why he didn’t mention Dončić.
ALSO READ: ‘He Ruined That Franchise’ – NBA Fans React As Mavericks Are Set To Fire GM Nico Harrison
The team will play its first game without Harrison as their GM on Wednesday, November 12, against the Phoenix Suns.
