Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison recently addressed the media at an end-of-season press conference, following a more exclusive session with select media members. While the discussion aimed to cover the season broadly, the most significant point was the controversial decision to trade Luka Dončić in February.
When questioned about the Dončić trade, Harrison reiterated his familiar phrase, “defense wins championships.” However, a particularly revealing moment came when he was asked if he anticipated the strong negative reaction from fans after trading Dončić.
Harrison admitted, “I knew Luka was important to the fanbase, but I didn`t fully grasp the extent.” He further explained the rationale behind the trade, stating, “We believed that a team featuring Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II would be a championship-caliber team capable of high-level success, which would have mitigated fan disappointment. Unfortunately, we couldn`t assemble that team.”
It`s questionable how the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks could be unaware of Dončić`s immense value to the franchise. If Dirk Nowitzki holds the top spot in Mavericks history, Dončić is undoubtedly second. Since Nowitzki`s retirement in 2019, coinciding with Dončić`s rookie year, the Slovenian star has been the face of the team. Every team decision in the years since Dončić was drafted was focused on building a winning team around him. Harrison himself made moves prior to the Dončić trade with the aim of creating a strong team around Dončić to contend for a championship.
Harrison`s apparent lack of understanding of Dončić`s importance to the fanbase is a core issue. This disconnect will likely continue to negatively impact the Mavericks during his leadership.
During the restricted media session, Harrison was also asked if he felt the team needed to regain fan support after trading Dončić. He responded by emphasizing the potential of a roster including Kyrie, Klay, P.J., Anthony Davis, and Lively, describing it as a championship-level team. He suggested that even if fans were initially upset about the Dončić trade, they would be satisfied with winning results.
Harrison repeated similar sentiments in the public press conference, implying that victories would change fan sentiment. However, this perspective overlooks the crucial emotional connection fans develop with specific players. Mavericks fans, and the city of Dallas, had forged a deep bond with Dončić. His foundation, dedicated to youth basketball education, was even based in Dallas until his trade to the Lakers.
Beyond his community involvement, the Mavericks lack a long history of iconic, jersey-retiring players like franchises such as the Lakers or Celtics. They also haven`t had a player consistently in the GOAT conversation like the Chicago Bulls. Therefore, acquiring Dončić on draft night in 2018 was a monumental event in the franchise`s history.
However, Harrison fails to recognize this. He seems to believe fan support is solely tied to winning, regardless of the team`s composition. This reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the Mavericks fanbase and the essence of fan loyalty in general.
Jasper Hawthorne