Nico Harrison admitted he underestimated Luka Doncic’s importance to Dallas supporters but continued to defend the trade that sent him to the Lakers.
The Mavericks general manager addressed cameras on 21 April 2025 for the first time since exchanging Doncic for Anthony Davis in February.
Harrison misjudged the depth of the reaction
“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison said. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.&
The anger never faded as Dallas finished 39-43 and lost to Memphis in the play-in tournament. Harrison believed winning would have eased the backlash, but injuries prevented the roster he imagined from taking shape.
Davis was hurt in his Mavericks debut. Kyrie Irving then tore the ACL in his left knee, and Dallas never put Davis, Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II on the floor together.
Dallas still believes it built a contender
Harrison said that five-man core was capable of competing for a championship.
“We would have been winning at a high level and that would have quieted some of the outrage,” he said. “Unfortunately we weren’t able to do that, so it just continued to go on and on.&
The explanation did little to change the central fact of Dallas’s season: Doncic left, the replacement star could not stay healthy and the Mavericks missed the playoffs.
Health shapes the Mavericks’ next step
Harrison said Dallas needed to get healthy more than it needed another overhaul. He expected Irving to return after rehabilitation and believed the team could contend again.
The Mavericks also held a first-round draft pick and retained the option to add players in free agency. Harrison’s plan remained unchanged, even if the cost of the Doncic trade had become clearer.
