Mavericks fire GM Nico Harrison amid continued fan angst

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has been fired, it was announced Tuesday.

The decision was made after a meeting Tuesday morning between Harrison and team governor Patrick Dumont, sources told ESPN.

“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that meets the expectations of our players, our partners and, most importantly, our fans,” Dumont said in a statement.

Assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have been promoted to head the Mavs’ basketball operations department on an interim basis.

Harrison has been under fire from Mavericks fans since he surprisingly traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2, just months removed from the five-time first-team All-NBA selection, then 25, leading the franchise to an NBA Finals appearance.

That trade, in which Dallas received Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick in return, sparked fan protests outside the American Airlines Center the night of the deal and before the team’s next home game. This anxiety never dissipated, as “Fire Nico!” Since then, chants have frequently been heard at the team’s home games, including during Monday night’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Dumont explained the reasons for the decision in a letter to the team’s fans on Tuesday.

“No one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all thought would be a promising season,” Dumont said in the letter to fans. “You have high expectations of the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When results do not meet expectations, it is my responsibility to act.

“…Even with the majority of the 2025-26 season remaining to be played, and I know our players are deeply committed to a winning culture, this decision was critical to moving our franchise forward in a positive direction.”

Dumont’s letter did not refer to the Doncic trade.

“I understand the profound impact these last few difficult months have had,” Dumont’s letter said. “Please know that I am fully committed to the Mavericks’ success. … Our goal is to bring winning basketball back to Dallas and win championships.”

Patrick Dumont in his letter to fans: “I understand the profound impact these last few difficult months have had. Please know that I am fully committed to the success of the Mavericks.” pic.twitter.com/MjqModl5QG

– Tim MacMahon (@BannedMacMahon) November 11, 2025

Dumont sat courtside during Monday’s game, the first he has attended since the season-opening blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Mavs blew a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, falling to 3-8 and second-to-last in the Western Conference.

Dumont, whose family purchased the majority share of the franchise from Mark Cuban in December 2023, signed the trade after Harrison convinced him that signing Doncic to a supermax contract extension would be a bad investment due to the then-injured superstar’s ongoing conditioning issues. Dumont has since privately admitted his remorse over the deal.

Dallas had a record of 182-157 during Harrison’s four-plus year tenure, which was highlighted by runs to the 2022 Western Conference Finals and the 2024 NBA Finals. The Mavs were 135-88 in regular season games in which Doncic played during that span and 47-69 otherwise.

Immediately after the trade, Harrison said the deal improved the Mavs’ chances of winning a championship, stating the franchise would have a three-to-four-year window to compete.

“Defense wins championships,” Harrison said, a phrase he repeated repeatedly in the media toward the end of last season to justify the deal.

Davis, a 10-time All-Star who was out with an abdominal injury at the time of the injury, played in only 14 regular season games and a few play-in appearances for the Mavericks.

While Harrison was under fire, Davis rushed to play in the Mavs’ Feb. 8 game against the Houston Rockets, the first home game after the trade. He had a dominant first half, but suffered an adductor strain – an aggravation of his abdominal injury – in the third quarter that kept him sidelined for the next six weeks.

Davis has missed the last six games, five of which the Mavs lost, with a left calf strain. Sources said Davis wanted to return this weekend, but that Dumont sided with members of the Mavs’ medical staff, who were adamant that Davis should err on the side of caution.

Dallas star guard Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL in early March that ended his season, and there is no set timetable for his return this season.

The injury-ravaged Mavs crashed out of the playoffs after the trade, being eliminated by the Memphis Grizzlies in the final Western Conference play-in game. An incredible stroke of luck in the NBA draft lottery, cashing in on a 1.8% chance of winning the first overall pick and the right to draft Cooper Flagg, provided some hope for the future of the franchise.

However, Dallas’ poor start and continued fan angst ultimately sealed Harrison’s fate.