Mavericks Executive Who Traded Luka Doncic Already Looking to Leave Dallas
The Dallas Mavericks made an unexpected move by trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving many NBA fans and analysts questioning the reasoning behind it. The executive responsible for the trade, Nico Harrison, could soon be on his way out of Dallas.
Los Angeles Lakers Introduce Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber & Markieff Morris
Over the weekend, the Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA world by trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, a move many initially believed to be a social media hoax from Shams Charania. Unfortunately, the trade was very real—and disappointing. Dallas received Anthony Davis and a few assets in return, but it seems far from the best deal they could’ve secured for Doncic.
The Mavs front office briefly raised concerns about Doncic’s weight and conditioning, which seemed to serve as a diversion from the actual reason for the trade: money. With Doncic set to become eligible for a five-year, $345 million extension next summer, the Adelson family wasn’t willing to foot that bill.
Although Nico Harrison is technically the executive responsible for the trade, there’s a deeper question about the real motives behind the decision. Either the Adelsons instructed Harrison to offload Doncic to avoid paying him, or Harrison had other reasons for the move. It’s hard to believe that the Mavs genuinely had concerns about Doncic’s conditioning—especially considering that the 25-year-old led Dallas to the Finals.
Nico Harrison’s Backup Plan if Fired by the Dallas Mavericks
A recent report from DLLS Mavs suggests that Harrison may not stay with the Mavericks for much longer, further raising questions about the trade itself. “There has been belief, which multiple team and league sources expressed to me over the past months long before this trade, that Harrison does not have a long-term desire to remain in his current role as general manager,” reported Tim Cato.
Harrison, a former Nike executive, could easily land a position elsewhere in the basketball industry. If he is under fire from Mavericks fans or is being made a scapegoat by the Adelson family, he has an easy way out. At this point, there’s nothing keeping Harrison in Dallas.
Harrison’s justification for trading Doncic felt weak, with vague references to “defense wins championships” and some criticism of Doncic’s conditioning. But such excuses rarely ring true.
Luka had been willing to stay with Dallas long-term, despite some reported tension with the front office and ownership. Mark Cuban, no longer the majority owner, had once claimed he’d rather get divorced than trade Luka.
The entire Doncic trade situation remains suspicious, with many unanswered questions. While the answers may be elusive, one thing is certain: the trade has left more confusion than clarity.
