Dallas Mavericks fans were not pleased with general manager Nico Harrison’s recent statement regarding Kyrie Irving’s injury.
On Monday, Irving sustained a serious leg injury during the Mavericks’ game against the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. He was later diagnosed with a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee.
On Tuesday, Harrison issued a statement expressing his appreciation for Irving’s contributions to the team.
“Kyrie is the heart and soul of this team, and he has embraced the city of Dallas as his home and our fans as an extension of his own family. … His work ethic and absolute dedication to his craft, it’s cut from the cloth of greats. I know it, I lived it, and I see the same ferocity and passion in him that I saw in Kobe,” Harrison said in part.
However, Mavericks fans on social media took the opportunity to criticize Harrison. Many called for his resignation, while others questioned why he hadn’t made a similar statement when the team traded Luka Doncic.
“The only statement Mavs fans want to see from Nico is a resignation,” one fan posted.
“Writes a full love letter about Kyrie after his injury but still has not said one positive thing about Luka freaking Doncic. Fakest dude in the league,” another fan wrote.
“Meanwhile he didn’t have one nice thing to say about our franchise player he traded away overnight without his knowledge. Wow,” another reaction read.
“This will be his final message as GM!!!” a fan predicted.
In early February, Harrison had defended the decision to trade Doncic, calling it a win-now move to help the Mavericks compete for a championship. However, with Irving sidelined for the remainder of the season—and likely much of the next one—Harrison’s title-contending vision appears to be unraveling.
To make matters worse, there are growing concerns that Anthony Davis may not be committed to sticking with the team long-term.
