February 2, 2025, is a day that forever changed the history of the NBA. We all know where we were when we heard the news that Luka Dončić was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.
Nico Harrison Has No Regrets About Trading Dončić
If you ask Dallas GM Nico Harrison if he has any regrets about the trade, you may be surprised by his answer. Harrison sat down with the media on Tuesday for the first time since the trade and according to the Dallas Morning News, he still sees the trade as necessary for the franchise.
“Yeah, there’s no regrets on the trade. Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future,” Harrison said. “When you look at this trade, we targeted AD. With our philosophy of defense wins championships, we wanted a two-way player to lead our team, and that was Anthony Davis.”
Where the Lakers and Mavericks Go From Here
We are 10 weeks removed now from the biggest trade in sports history, and both teams could not be further apart. Dončić immediately jelled with LeBron James and the Lakers, averaging 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game while helping the purple and gold secure the third seed in the Western Conference.
On the other hand, Dallas has seen nothing but struggle and injuries. Since February 2nd, the Mavericks are 13-20, lost Kyrie Irving to a torn ACL, and the newly acquired Davis missed over a month due to an abdominal injury. They are currently the tenth-seed and travel to Sacramento tomorrow night to battle the Kings in the Play-In tournament.
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Harrison is public enemy number one in Dallas right now, and every time Dončić succeeds, it only makes the cries louder for Harrison’s ousting. Shortly after the trade, Mavericks fans stood outside the stadium holding memorial services for Dončić’s exit and demanding answers.
Fans spend more time chanting “Fire Nico!” than they do cheering on their own team. This situation could not have gone any worse for the Dallas front office.
Despite all that, Harrison remains defiant amidst this storm of criticism. He is adamant that this was the move to better the Mavericks’ future. The team has to win in the next two years to prove that Harrison is truly a visionary and not a man who gambled everything for nothing.
Only time, and perhaps a dramatic playoff run, will tell if Harrison’s vision prevails over the memory of losing such a generational talent like Luka Dončić.