{"id":371970,"date":"2025-11-11T17:12:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T17:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/371970\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T17:12:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T17:12:09","slug":"why-nico-harrisons-firing-is-viewed-as-inevitable-in-nba-circles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/371970\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Nico Harrison\u2019s firing is viewed as inevitable in NBA circles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: The\u00a0Dallas Mavericks fired Nico Harrison<\/a> on Nov. 11, 2025, nine months after the Luka Don\u010di\u0107 trade<\/a>.<\/p>\n

DALLAS \u2014 Shortly after Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont took his courtside seat in the third quarter of Monday\u2019s game at American Airlines Center, a teenager wearing Luka Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s gold Los Angeles Lakers jersey plopped down next to him.<\/p>\n

Nicholas Dickason, an 18-year-old Dallasite whose family owns season tickets four rows behind where Dumont sits, wanted to apologize. In the Mavericks\u2019 blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs on opening night in October, Dickason \u2014 still stung from the Mavericks\u2019 decision to trade Don\u010di\u0107 in February \u2014 shouted four-letter words at Dumont and gave him the finger.<\/p>\n

The more Dickason thought about what he did, the worse he felt. So at his father\u2019s urging, Dickason approached Dumont to apologize on Monday. But Dumont acknowledged a mistake as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cBasically Patrick was like, he feels horrible for the trade. And wants to make it up to us,\u201d Dickason told The Athletic. \u201cThat\u2019s basically what he said. He accepted my apology for it as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mavs governor Patrick Dumont and a fan in a Luka Lakers jersey pic.twitter.com\/YzzYJ1Qv6P<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Christian Clark (@christianpclark) November 11, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That revelation from Dickason\u2019s 10-minute conversation with Dumont isn\u2019t the only signal that the Mavericks\u2019 chief decision-maker has some regrets about the way the franchise went about dealing Don\u010di\u0107. Over the weekend, reports surfaced that general manager Nico Harrison\u2019s seat was warming. ESPN\u2019s Tim MacMahon said,<\/a> \u201cIt is a matter of when, not if, Nico Harrison will be fired.\u201d Indeed, according to multiple league sources with knowledge of the situation, Harrison\u2019s dismissal is viewed as an inevitability. The Mavericks, in their current form, are broken and can\u2019t be fixed without changes. As one high-level league source told The Athletic, \u201cYou can\u2019t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harrison\u2019s decision to trade Don\u010di\u0107, which Dumont signed off on, unleashed a tsunami of fan anger. Fans called for Harrison\u2019s dismissal with \u201cFire Nico\u201d chants throughout the final three months of last season, and they haven\u2019t let up this year. The \u201cFire Nico\u201d chants resumed in the Mavericks\u2019 Oct. 24 home loss to the Washington Wizards. Fans continued with the four-syllable chant Monday during the fourth quarter of the Mavericks\u2019 116-114 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.<\/p>\n

With 1.2 seconds remaining, P.J. Washington stepped to the free-throw line after being fouled on a 3-point attempt. Washington needed to make all three free throws to tie the game. He made his first shot. As he lined up his second shot, the \u201cFire Nico\u201d chants burbled up. Washington missed. The chants grew louder as Washington intentionally missed his third shot. The Mavericks were unable to recover the rebound, which caused them to drop to 3-8 on the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody has an opinion,\u201d Washington said. \u201cEverybody is entitled to that. It is what it is. At the end of the day, we have to come out and do our jobs. And that\u2019s be professional. Play basketball. And try to win each and every night. It is what it is at this point. Just have to keep moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mavericks are now 2-5 at home this season. Each of their next three games is at American Airlines Center. Dumont flew into Dallas on Monday morning and arrived at the arena roughly two hours before tipoff. He sat courtside for the first time since Dickason flipped him off on Oct. 22.<\/p>\n

Dumont\u2019s presence at the game underscored the more active role he seems to be taking in the franchise that his mother-in-law, Miriam Adelson, purchased in 2023 for $3.5 billion. In the past, Dumont listened to the advice his top basketball people gave him, including Harrison\u2019s recommendation that Dallas trade Don\u010dic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis.<\/p>\n

Now, Dumont is involved in decisions such as when a player returns from injury. Dumont has had a personal say in the Mavericks\u2019 decision to take a cautious approach to Davis\u2019 return from a left calf strain, a detail ESPN was first to report<\/a>. Davis has been listed as questionable before the Mavericks\u2019 last two games before being downgraded to out just before game time. Davis has wanted to get back on the court, but the Mavericks are understandably concerned that Davis\u2019 calf injury could lead to something worse if he doesn\u2019t fully recover.<\/p>\n

All of that has contributed to the fan frustration that won\u2019t go away. No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg played the best game of his NBA career<\/a> Monday, scoring 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting despite a right thumb sprain. With 29 seconds remaining, Flagg made a go-ahead basket over two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo at the rim. The crowd roared with approval over Flagg\u2019s fearless play. Yet minutes later, the \u201cFire Nico\u201d chants resumed.<\/p>\n

After the game, Mavericks center Daniel Gafford was asked if the \u201cFire Nico\u201d chants were disheartening.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt times, yes,\u201d Gafford said. \u201cBut we know we have a job to do. It\u2019s going to be a long season. Trying to win back a lot of fans. At the end of the day, we have to play the way we played in the first three quarters.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t focus on that, because it\u2019s not going to do anything besides hold us back, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The displeasure Mavericks fans continue to express about the Don\u010di\u0107 trade has been impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n

As Bucks coach Doc Rivers put it before the game, \u201cThe whole Luka thing never goes away, unfortunately. It won\u2019t go away. That\u2019s a rough one.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were many more reminders about the infamous trade on Monday, none more noticeable than Dumont seated next to a teenager who was wearing Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s gold Lakers uniform.<\/p>\n