Nine months after executing one of the most stunning trades in NBA history, Nico Harrison has been fired as the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks.
Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont made the call on Tuesday morning, hours after Dallas (now 3-8 on the young season) suffered a 116-114 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Meanwhile, in Charlotte last night, Luka Doncic -- the man Harrison shockingly dealt on Feb. 1 -- led the Los Angeles Lakers (8-3) to a 121-111 win over the Hornets, against whom the superstar Slovenian scored a game-high 38 points.
Harrison's legacy in Dallas will forever be tied to his choice to deal Doncic for Anthony Davis nine months ago -- an organizational reshaping that helped the Mavericks land Cooper Flagg at the top of the 2025 NBA Draft but dismantled a team that had reached the NBA Finals in 2024. The Doncic trade irrevocably damaged the relationship between Harrison and Dumont, who on Monday took full accountability for the deal in a conversation with a teenage Mavericks fan in a Doncic Lakers jersey.
Davis' Dallas future unclear
With Harrison out of the picture in Dallas, questions are swirling about what the future holds for Davis -- who enjoyed a close relationship with Harrison, dating to the ex-GM's tenure as an executive at Nike.
Veteran NBA insider Marc Stein said Tuesday that Davis' agent Rich Paul is in "regular contact" with Dumont. Per Stein, Paul and Dumont enjoy a "strong relationship" -- language that some fans are interpreting as a signal that the Mavericks will attempt to deal Davis to a contending team of his choosing in the weeks ahead.
As for what Nico Harrison's dismissal means for Anthony Davis' future in Dallas: Sources tell @TheSteinLine and @DLLS_Sports that Davis' agent Rich Paul has established a strong relationship with Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont since February's trade. They are in regular contact. Https://t.co/VUwjU4Dl9h
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 11, 2025
Davis has played five games this season but has not seen the court since Oct. 29, when he left a game against the Indiana Pacers with an apparent calf strain. Davis has since been diagnosed with bilateral achilles tendinopathy, and the Mavs are erring on the side of caution amid the 10-time All-Star's attempt to return to action. Dumont directly shut down Davis' bid to play on Saturday against the Washington Wizards, and it is unknown when the five-time All-NBA selection will make his return.
The lingering injury concerns make it hard to gauge Davis' potential trade value -- which, nine months ago, was worth exactly one Luka Doncic. This though is a problem for the Mavs' new general manager, who likely will have to work with Dumont and Paul to find an equitable solution.
NBA updates
Did Anthony Davis gain weight? Explaining oft-injured Mavs star's appearance in fake viral post
Mavericks dismiss Nico Harrison as Patrick Dumont admits fault in Luka Dončić trade on Monday
Why did Mavericks fire Nico Harrison? Dallas parts ways with GM responsible for Luka Doncic trade
Lakers' Luka Doncic gets last laugh with Mavericks firing Nico Harrison after 3-8 start
Pacers projected to turn Tyrese Haliburton's injury into generational talent