Dallas Mavericks basic supervisor Nico Harrison held a press conference on Monday, acting on an effort to hold a “small media roundtable” with choose press reporters in which no video cameras or videotaping gadgets were permitted.
The subject that press reporters most intended to address was the controversial Luka Dončić trade that Harrison had not made much of an initiative to clarify openly to a follower base outraged by their cherished celebrity being dealt to one more group.
In a shocking admission, Harrison claimed that he really did not recognize Mavericks followers would certainly respond as highly as they did.
“I knew Luka was important to the fan base,” he claimed. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.”
“When you have 20,000 people chanting ‘Fire Nico,’ you feel it,” he added later.
Harrison continued to emphasize the notion that Dončić was traded because “defense wins championships” and the Dallas roster was better suited for that after the deal. However, the team that he and the Dallas front office presumably envisioned following the trade was never apparent on the floor due to injuries.
“The way we looked at it is if you’re putting a team on the floor that’s Kyrie [Irving], Klay [Thompson], P.J. [Washington], Anthony Davis and [Dereck] Lively, we feel that’s a championship-caliber team,” he added. “We would’ve been winning at a high level and that would’ve quieted some of the outrage.”
Harrison acknowledged that he and the Mavericks didn’t do a good enough job of communicating with media and fans after trading Dončić, but insisted he didn’t try to avoid speaking to reporters, despite appearances to the contrary.
“Our goal is to never run away from the media,” he said.
Yet Harrison admitted that the roundtable with reporters “fell flat” and didn’t accomplish what he hoped because it failed to adequately answer questions.
Asked why he shouldn’t be fired, Harrison defended the work he’s done in nearly four years as general manager.
“I think I’ve done a really good job here,” he said, adding that he has a good relationship with team owner Patrick Dumont. “I don’t think I can be judged by injuries this year. You have to be judged in totality from beginning to end.”
Harrison likewise specified that he had not been informed by Dumont to trade Don čić to stay clear of paying him a supermax agreement expansion that would certainly have completed $345 million over five years.
Twice throughout the press conference, Harrison tried to start proceeding from the Don čić profession, stating “Luka’s no more on this group.”
Yet this will certainly hang over him for as lengthy as he maintains his placement, particularly if Dallas isn’t as effective following period and in years to find. And he certainly recognizes that.
However, Harrison thinks that his vision for the Mavericks will eventually be understood with a completely healthy and balanced lineup led by Irving afterreturning from a torn ACL Harrison anticipates Irving to choose in with his $44 million player option for 2025-26.
” I think winning will certainly aid fix the partnership with the followers,” he claimed.
