Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison has been subject to intense criticism in recent months — reasonably so — after trading away franchise icon Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Despite the controversial move, Harrison still has some supporters, including part-owner of the Mavericks Mark Cuban.
Since trading away Doncic, Dallas has missed the playoffs, and lucked into landing the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Cooper Flagg. Somehow, the Mavericks are set up to be fairly competive next season with Flagg, Davis, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving upon his return from an ACL tear.
Per a video taken by Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News, Cuban praised Harrison and the rest of the Mavericks’ front office ahead of the NBA Draft for how they have navigated their team construction.
“Where I’ll really give Nico and the front office credit is, you look at a lot of teams right now, they’re blowing up their team. They’re dropping bombs on their teams because of the second apron. We’ve got our guys locked up and with the way the cap’s going to move we should be in really good shape,” Cuban said. “Nico and Kyrie have had a strong enough relationship that they were able to work together to give us a little wiggle room to have somebody to fit in when Kyrie is out. So for all the hell that Nico has gotten, he’s done a great job of putting us in a really good position.”
Dallas has since signed D’Angelo Russell to fill the role for Irving while he recovers from his injury.
The Mavericks will have their hands full as they attempt to handle two separate timelines, bringing in an 18-year-old Cooper Flagg to a team gunning for a championship next season. Despite the critics, it seems as though Harrison still has some believers in Dallas, even as the “FIRE NICO!” chants rain down anytime he makes a public appearance.