Nico Harrison was nearly with the San Antonio Spurs & now he’s the ‘reviled’ Mavericks GM
It is a small detail nearly forgotten, but three times the San Antonio Spurs tried to hire Nico Harrison to join their front office.
The Dallas Mavericks “won” that Western Conference showdown when Mark Cuban announced Harrison was his new GM, on June 27, 2021. Harrison was one of the most pursued people to run an NBA team because of his ties to players, their agents and “basketball people” stemming from his long career with Nike.
Harrison was “the relationship GM,” who could not only keep Nike guy Luka Doncic with the Mavericks for the duration of his career, but recruit quality free agents around him. Harrison would do what his predecessor, Donnie Nelson, could not.
On the day Cuban announced he bagged Nico, he said in a statement, “We are very excited to bring Nico Harrison to Dallas and have him join our organization. Nico brings a wealth of basketball knowledge along with both executive and leadership skills. He has proven to have a unique eye for talent on and off the court. I’m looking forward to watching Nico lead the Mavs to new heights.”
Cuban forgot to add, “And new soul crushing depths.”
Since Harrison traded Doncic last week to the L.A. Lakers for Anthony Davis, a tsunami of historically horrid PR has soaked the Mavericks. The reaction feels like something out of Argentina, after a soccer player is traded for $139 million, and a sack of groceries.
Angry Mavs fans protested outside the American Airlines Center on Saturday, shortly before Davis’ debut with the team, against Houston. In his first game with his new team, he was outstanding until he suffered another injury that will keep him off the floor for a few weeks.
Meanwhile, Doncic made his debut on Monday in L.A.; the sight of him in his new uniform was enough to make Mavericks fans throw a few more objects through the TV that they just replaced after destroying their previous set when they heard Luka is a Laker.
During the Mavs’ OT loss on Monday night against the Kings, fans who spoke out against Harrison were kicked out of the AAC. After the game, Mavs coach Jason Kidd did not speak to reporters, something he has never done since he was hired by Cuban on the same day he announced Harrison.
Jerry Jones has done much in his long ownership of the Dallas Cowboys, but he never pulled this sort of lame stunt with his customers. He has always granted a wide berth to fans, and the media that covers the team, to rip him a new one every day of the week. His mantra remains the same: Talk about the Cowboys, spend money on the Cowboys.
That practice is profitable, but requires the skin of an armadillo.
We just have to go back to June 4, 2024 when the Mavs fan base celebrated the contract extensions for Kidd and Harrison.
“(Harrison’s) vision, along with his efforts on behalf of our players and staff have propelled our team to two playoff appearances in three seasons and of course this year’s NBA Finals,” Mavs Gov. Patrick Dumont said in a statement. “We are proud to have him as part of our team for the long term, and we are excited to watch him continue to build on the foundation of success he has helped establish.”
The irony here is that since the Mavs hired Harrison, his record suggests any personnel decision should be met with support, not rage. All parties, from Harrison to Dumont, badly underestimated “Luka Love.”
Most of the moves Harrison has made have worked, and are a reason why the team reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and ‘24, and NBA Finals last spring.
The trade for Kyrie Irving in Feb. of 2023 was ripped globally, but it did work. The trades to bring in Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington last year worked. Other moves, such as drafting Derek Lively, acquiring Jaden Hardy and signing Dante Exum, were hits.
The critic of the Luka trade will say the Harrison had hits because of Luka. Hard to argue with that logic; the man averages 30-10-10 while sleeping.
Dealing Luka was never going to be warmly greeted, but sending him to the Lakers for a 32-year-old All-Star, one future first round pick and Max Christie feels criminal.
According to new reports, Harrison talked to the Milwaukee Bucks about sending Luka to “The Good Land” in exchange for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Harrison also reached out to the Minnesota Timberwolves about a Luka-for-Anthony Edwards deal.
Believe that report at your own risk; earlier reports about the Luka trade said that Harrison only talked to Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, and no one else; secrecy was supposedly a priority.
Any Mavericks fan should want to believe that their “extended GM” had the sense to talk to other teams about a trade before he jumped into the deepest end of this trench, and handed the Lakers, as Pelinka said, “A gift.”
Nico no longer viewed Luka as a gift, but an enabled, pouty headcase who takes his talent for granted, won’t change, and will pay for it sooner rather than later.
If it were any other player, Nico’s latest personnel decision would have been greeted with support as opposed to wrath. His track record says fans should have faith.
But Harrison and those who signed off on this deal clearly underestimated “Luka Love.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 3:57 PM.
