What’s next for the Mavericks after firing Nico Harrison? These are the moves Dallas needs to make
The Mavs fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, with a sea of doubt once again surrounding the team.
The Mavericks are once again in familiar territory: a crossroads with no signposts to point them in the right direction. After firing Nico Harrison, their general‐manager/president of basketball operations, the franchise now needs more than just a change in personnel, they need a reset in strategy. The Harrison era will be remembered mostly for the shock trade of Luka Dončić (which he executed) and for the sharp decline that followed.
Less than a month into the season and just over nine months after Doncic’s exit, Dallas sit on a 3-8 record and in 14th place in the Western Conference. “They had to fire him”, one executive told Yahoo Sports, with another saying that “the owner wants to blame Nico” for the Doncic trade.
Back in April, it was Harrison who fronted up and spoke to the press in the wake of the cataclysmic trade of Doncic to the Lakers, telling the shocked faces and furious fans that there were “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. Some of the decisions I’m going to make are going to be unpopular. And that’s my job, and I have to stand by it,” he said. Looking back, it was the beginning of the end for Harrison.
Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont's letter to Dallas fans after firing GM Nico Harrison: pic.twitter.com/rmM6SVFN7a
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 11, 2025
What comes next for the franchise is the pertinent question, and one that fans will be asking themselves as they lay awake at night, staring at the ceiling.
What’s clear beyond doubt is that the next GM must embrace transparency, fan engagement, and integrity. The previous regime’s handling of Dončić’s trade and the following fallout damaged trust to a huge extent. The new leadership must rebuild credibility as well as the roster. That means showing how decisions are made, being candid with fans and rebuilding cultural alignment inside the failing organisation.
Rebuilding teams frequently lose games, make mistakes and have to endure criticism. Dallas has to accept that several bad seasons might lie ahead, but they’ll pay dividends if the process is consistent. No more sacrificing first‐round picks for marginal upgrades, and no more chasing short‐term glory at the expense of long‐term health.
my last convo with nico harrison as gm was media day this year. told me my “why shouldn’t you be fired” question was the “most disrespectful question he’s ever been asked” & had a good back & forth about it.
— Isaac Harris (@IsaacLHarris) November 11, 2025
ended with him saying time will tell if he was right.
time has told pic.twitter.com/P28D34nI73
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If they begin to build wisely, things could well look up soon enough for the franchise, but it will take time to rebuild the trust that has completely evaporated between the team and the fans who are used to success and top performance both on and off the court.
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