News Mavericks Team Notes

[Dallas Mavericks]

Nico Harrison turns further heel against Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks history

Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

There’s a reason the Dallas Mavericks general manager hasn’t spoke to media in two months

The Dallas Mavericks held a closed-door, invite-only press conference roundtable on Tuesday morning, the day before the team plays an NBA Play-In game against the Sacramento Kings. Fresh off the Dallas area getting some form of basketball hope in the form of Paige Bueckers joining the Dallas Wings, the Mavericks once again recentered the basketball hearts and minds on the abysmal trade of Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis.

Since the Dallas Mavericks have yet to release a transcript of the conversation, we have plenty of sources to look to for what he had to say. Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News had a write-up. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon was there and pressed Harrison hard on his logic on the trade. Tim Cato was in the room and went live almost immediately following the presser on DLLS. There were around 15 people in the room, so there’s plenty of reporting on the topic.

It was nearly an hour full of bad quotes, attempts at obfuscation, and justifications that do not match with any of the results we’ve witnessed on the basketball court since the trade or the looming disaster on the horizon for the Mavericks in the coming seasons between salary and lack of draft picks.

But one segment really stood out, at least to me. When asked about Dirk Nowitzki’s disapproval of the firing of long time employees like Casey Smith and other changes in the organization, Harrison had this to say:

“My obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks, it’s what’s the best interest of the Dallas Mavericks, and that’s the most important thing. Some of those decisions are going to be unpopular maybe to Dirk and maybe to the fans, but my obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks.”

Nico Harrison’s only obligation is to his own ego. In the 75-plus days since the debacle began, the only time Dirk Nowitzki’s name is mentioned is to marginalize him. Dirk Nowitzki, the man who defined the Dallas Mavericks for over two decades, the man who has a statue out front of the very arena Harrison walks into to watch Mavericks games from. Dirk Nowitzki is synonymous with the Dallas Mavericks.

There’s so much subtext to this one statement, it’s hard to know where to begin. To Nico Harrison, Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t matter. To Nico Harrison, the Dallas Mavericks fans do not matter. To Nico Harrison, the only thing that matters is that Nico Harrison was right, come hell or high water.

According to MacMahon, this roundtable occurred at the behest of Governor Patrick Dumont, who wanted it to happen sometime earlier in the month. Perhaps after the most recent calamity, Dumont may see just how unprepared Harrison is to lead. It’s one thing to have a conviction, but this is a man seemingly dedicated to being the center of attention, despite hiding from the spotlight.

The problem is no one cares about management when it comes to fandom, nor should we. Basketball is about the players and the moments on the floor, and given that Harrison used to play professionally overseas, you’d think he would know that. Instead, every quote and every action speaks of a man who thinks he’s the hero in Dallas, that he alone, through a brilliant design, will lead Dallas to a NBA Championship.

Nico Harrison, you are not the Dallas Mavericks and you never will be. You are a shoe salesman to the stars, and your name and legacy will be synonymous with Icarus. You flew too close to the sun, but on the wings of others versus those of your own. You think it’s about you, and it never was and never will be.

I just want to be done with these people. I want to root for my laundry and get mad about the trivialities of sport. I am so tired of being lectured by a man who seems beholden to no one. His actions and words speak of a man who cares only about himself. It’s past time to fire Nico Harrison.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...gation-is-to-himself-not-the-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: Futures report card

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

An unprecedented year in the NBA has left us with more money in our pockets than we started with

The 2024-25 NBA regular season has come and gone, and here at Mavs Moneyball we are still in disbelief about how it all went downhill for the Dallas Mavericks this season. Going from the NBA Finals to the play-in tournament is one thing, but there was just no way to predict everything that went catastrophically wrong during this year.

However, before we can officially turn the page, it’s time to look back and do the accounting for our regular season futures.

Season record: 7-5 (58.3%)​

Overall, a solid year on the futures front for me. The Mavericks futures that I took turned into colossal failures (more on that later), but everything else I think I did a really good job on. However, we have to debrief on a few of the things that stuck with us from this season that we can take into next season and beyond. Below, I’ll hit on my best calls, worst calls and anything I regret not taking.

Best calls​

Detroit Pistons over 25.5 wins, Milwaukee Bucks under 50.5 wins​

Let's start with the Pistons, who managed to outperform their win total by a whopping 18.5 games in finishing 44-38. I’ll be honest, I was not expecting them to be that good, however I will take my victory lap regardless. Cade Cunningham made the leap that we were expecting him to make, and the added spacing that Malik Beasley, old friend Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tobias Harris provided helped J.B. Bickerstaff balance out the offense with the physical style they played.

As far as the Bucks (48-34), I was very skeptical of the supporting cast around Giannis and Damian Lillard. Turns out, I was right about that and also with the health of the two stars. Both Dame and Giannis missed their fair share of games throughout this season, which led to this under cashing with weeks to go in the regular season.

Worst calls​

Mavericks over 49.5 wins, Luka Doncic to win MVP and Luka Doncic to average over 10 assists per game​

First off, I’d like to apologize for the following: NOTHING. I and we at Mavs Moneyball have zero regret for being optimistic about this team preseason. Obviously, the Luka injury was what set this whole thing in motion to get where we are at today. But even with that, trading the guy was never a thought that ran through my head. To Nico Harrison’s credit, he assembled a fantastic team this past summer. When healthy before Christmas, they went out and won 14 of 17 games. With the additions they made, this team was a legitimate threat! And now we’re here. What a shame.

Bet regret​

Utah Jazz under 27.5 wins​

I had this one written down when it was 29.5 wins, but the late steam on the under just spooked me off of it. However, the Jazz won 17 games this year and didn’t even come close to scaring this number. Next year, I’ll learn from this by not being scared of a low number when it seems clear a team is going to be racing to the bottom of the NBA Draft lottery for the likes of Cam Boozer and AJ Dybantsa.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...ks-futures-odds-recaping-2024-2025-nba-season

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping Mavericks vs. Kings Play-In

Assigning grades for the Mavericks in their 120-106 win over the Kings

The Dallas Mavericks visited the Sacrament Kings on Wednesday night in a loser goes home Play-In Tournament game, winning 120-106. As the 10 seed, Dallas entered the postseason with the most difficult road to travel, needing to win two-straight road games in order to secure the eight seed. The path almost fittingly started against the Kings, a team that won all three regular season matchups between the two teams and the very team the Mavs were playing when Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending injury on March 3. With the win, the Mavs head to Memphis to face the Grizzlies Friday night, after Memphis lost to the Golden State Warriors Tuesday.

There is certainly a contingent of Mavs fans who would have been satisfied to see the season come to a close tonight. The Mavericks were not willing to oblige them and I for one am thrilled they didn’t. As colossally disappointing as the Regular Season was for the fanbase, the players surely felt the burden too, yet they never relented. Naysayers will point to the Kings playing poorly, but make no mistake this was not a Kings’ loss as much as it was a Mavs’ win. Dallas had a game plan and executed it to perfection, especially in the first half. At points during the game the Mavs had as many assisted field goals as the Kings had total field goals. The Mavs also took great care of the ball and were an excellent 24-for-26 from the free throw line. Eight blocks and nine steals showed the defensive prowess the Mavs want as their identity. Let’s get to the grades!

Naji Marshall: B-​

9 Points / 4 Rebounds / 3 Assists / 2 Steals / 0 Blocks (29 Minutes)​

If there was any doubt remaining, it’s fair to say Naji is a baller. He may have some rough shooting nights here and there, but shows no fear and often comes up with big shots. Tonight he ran the point and connected on four of six shots, with a three and a deep two in the early going to give the Mavs a push. Despite not being a true point guard, four turnovers were glaring, especially as the team only had nine total for the game.

Klay Thompson: A+​

23 Points / 5 Rebounds / 2 Assists / 1 Steal / 1 Block (33 Minutes)​

Thompson had some Play-In demons to exorcise after an 0-for-10 shooting night last year when he was still with the Warriors. His first two shots didn’t fall, but he broke the schneid with a three early in the second quarter (followed almost immediately by another three, then another, then another). That hot shooting was the catalyst for an avalanche which saw the Mavs outscore the Kings 44-19 in the quarter, where at one point he had as many points as the entire Kings team (14). Impressively, Thompson was pursing rebounds hard throughout the night, showing his veteran savvy by creating as many possessions as possible. Looking back on the game, it’s not a stretch to say Thompson all but won the game with his play in the second quarter. We’re hanging a “+” on his game for all the reasons above, and 8-for-11 shooting (5-for-7 on threes).

P.J. Washington: B+​

17 Points / 9 Rebounds / 4 Assists / 2 Steals / 0 Blocks (37 Minutes)​

P.J. played a very nice overall game, but some of it may get lost in the fact he started red-hot shooting, then went ice cold (5-for-15 overall). Aside from the shooting inefficiency, he contributed everywhere and did many of the intangibles it took to disrupt the Kings’ flow throughout the game.

Anthony Davis: B+​

27 Points / 9 Rebounds / 1 Assist / 1 Steal / 3 Blocks (35 Minutes)​

AD struggled in the early going. It was no secret to either team that he was the Mavs’ focal point, but the Kings bodied up to throw him off his game. He took nine shots in the first quarter alone (more than double the next closest Mav to that point) but only hit two. He had two dunks blocked in the fourth quarter in video game-like fashion (as in, you could hardly believe it was real), but made up for it by sticking two jumpers to break a three-minute plus scoring drought, then had a very nice reverse layup later in the quarter. This game may not help change the opinions of folks who suggest he doesn’t show up in big games, but he led the team in scoring, rebounding (tied with P.J. Washington) and blocks.

Dereck Lively: C+​

5 Points / 1 Rebound / 4 Assists / 2 Steals / 1 Block (18 Minutes)​

Lively had a somewhat atypical game, with few rebounds and blocks, but an impressive assist and steal total for 18 minutes at the center position. He caused some static that won’t appear in any box score, but positively impacted the game, but even with limited minutes, it’s not a stretch to expect a bit more, especially as he only connected on two of his five shots.

Daniel Gafford: B-​

9 Points / 4 Rebounds / 1 Assist / 0 Steals / 2 Blocks (21 Minutes)​

Gafford didn’t have a mind-blowing stat line in his nine first half minutes, but he was locked in and made a big impact. At one point he effectively guarded DeMar DeRozan out by the three-point line to force a turnover. He also had a ferocious block in the waning seconds of the first half that nearly reversed earth’s magnetic poles.

Dante Exum: A​

11 Points / 3 Rebounds / 6 Assists / 1 Steal / 0 Blocks (19 Minutes)​

Exum’s first few minutes off the bench were impressive, if not for the production (although two points, a board and two assists in five minutes isn’t bad), at least for how poised he was. He made smart passes, grabbed a slick rebound and generally put himself in the right spot. After a rough Playoff run last year, he must have channeled his time with Partizan Belgrade where the Roman Coliseum atmosphere surely forged him. His grade may seem a touch high if you didn’t watch the game, but I found his overall play to be very impressive with intelligent play and great shooting (4-for-4).

Caleb Martin: N/A​

0 Points / 3 Rebounds / 2 Assists / 0 Steals / 1 Block (11 Minutes)​

I damn near gave Martin an A+ purely on the fact he took a charge in the fourth quarter. Despite my unrequited longing for someone (anyone!) on the Mavs to take a charge, I didn’t want to completely blow the credibility of our grading after 83 legitimate efforts to this point. The charge gets him slotted in, even though he is an “N/A” in 11 minutes with limited stats. If the Mavs are going to live up to being a defense-first team, these types of efforts will need to continue, as they can absolutely be difference makers in playoff games.

Brandon Williams: A-​

17 Points / 0 Rebounds / 5 Assists / 0 Steals / 0 Blocks (18 Minutes)​

For a player who was on a two-way contract until moments before the Regular Season ended, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. In a must-win game, Williams came off the bench to shoot 5-for-8 from the floor (3-for-4 from three) and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. He wasn’t only thinking of scoring, as he also dropped in an assist total second only to Exum

Max Christie/Jaden Hardy/Dwight Powell/Spencer Dinwiddie: N/A​

All three of Hardy, Powell and Dinwiddie played nothing more than garbage time, combining to contribute two rebounds and a foul. Powell somehow missed three layups in his minute of play (two were of the tip-in variety), while Christie played 12 minutes but had little impact. The only other noteworthy aspect for these three players was perhaps that Dinwiddie (who played more games than any other Maverick during the Regular Season) was a complete non-factor in this one. Whether because of a lingering injury or simply a coach’s decision, his absence from the rotation was noticeable.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...dition-mavericks-kings-recap-120-106-mavs-win

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: Who will advance in the NBA Play-In and beyond?

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The NBA Play-In is half over, time to get your bets in

As of this writing, the NBA Play-In Tournament is halfway over. The Miami Heat play the Atlanta Hawks Friday night in the Eastern Conference matchup to determine the eight seed. The Dallas Mavericks play later that night in the Western Conference matchup which also determines the eight seed. FanDuel has Miami as a slight favorite and Dallas as a 6.5 point favorite.

Let’s see how the weekly SB React polls from fans earlier in the week compared to the results that we have. so far.

In the Eastern Conference, fans wisely bet that the Magic would emerge from the East Play-In, with the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks essentially tied for second. The Magic are in as the seventh seed and in the game tomorrow, FanDuel has Miami as a one-point favorite.

The Western Confernence Play-In race is much more interesting and the polling reflects that. While the Golden State Warriors did wrap up the seventh seed against Memphis, Dallas surprised fans Wednesday night by blowing out the Kings. Just 17% of respondents think Dallas can make it out of the Play-In and yet they are the favorites heading into the game Friday night, per FanDuel.

This Indiana Pacers-Milwaukee Bucks series is dead even, per fan polling, but FanDuel has the Pacers as -240 favorites. Giannis might score a billion, but I see why the Pacers are favored over a series.

The New York Knicks appear to be prohibative favorites against the Detroit Pistons in both the eyes of fans voting on these polls and the betting markets, with New York currently a -420 favorite. That’s wild to me. The Knicks are good, but that good? The Pistons deserve respect.

Now this is going to be a SERIES. Kawhi Leonard looks like the Terminator. Jokic is a machine, so a nearly split fan poll tracks. The Clippers are currently just -118 favorites. That line should be fun to watch game by game this series.

The fan vote here speaks to the star power of the Lakers but bettors also agree with LA as a -194 favorite. Game 1 will determine a lot insofar as how I feel about this series. I want both teams to lose.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...ho-will-advance-in-the-nba-play-in-and-beyond

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Three action items for the Mavericks with a playoff berth on the line against the Memphis Grizzlies

Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against GG Jackson #45 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half at FedExForum on April 13, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. | Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Own the paint, don’t get owned by Ja Morant and Desmond Bane and Dallas can make it out of the Play-In Tournament.

The Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies met four times in the regular season, but none of those games can really be used as a template for the Mavs’ best path to victory Friday at the Fedex Forum, when the two meet a fifth time, this time to decide who gets out of the Play-In Tournament and subsequently fed to the Oklahoma City Thunder as the 8-seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Dallas and Memphis split the two games that still featured Luka Dončić in a Mavericks uniform before the New Year, then Anthony Davis was injured for the third meeting and the most recent meeting was on Sunday, the last day of the regular season. Both squads were shorthanded in that one due to injuries and/or rest, and the Grizzlies beat the Mavs down, 132-97 at home.

So what are we looking at here? What is the Mavericks’ path to becoming the first-ever team to escape the Play-In Tournament as the 10-seed?

True to form​

The Mavericks are what they are at this point — a very large team still working its way toward becoming the paint-dominating defensive juggernaut the general manager swears up and down he’s created. In the Grizzlies’ 122-111 win over the Mavericks in March and without Davis’ services, Memphis lit Dallas up in the paint to the tune of 74-38. In the most recent matchup, the Grizzlies killed the Mavs in just about every statistical category except paint points, where Memphis held a more modest 68-62 advantage.

Dallas needs to play to its strength at Memphis this time around and dominate the interior to escape Play-In purgatory. That means the three-headed monster of Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford have to, not neutralize, but grind Jaren Jackson Jr. into a smooth paste. They need to abuse him like they did Domantas Sabonis in Wednesday’s 120-106 win at the Sacramento Kings.

Jackson Jr. comes into the matchup averaging 19.1 points and six rebounds per game in 15 games against the Mavericks in his young career, just slightly better than his career average in those departments, but in his last five, he’s caught fire against Dallas. He comes into the playoff clincher averaging 25.2 points and seven rebounds per game in his last five against Dallas.

It’s time for the allegedly incredible defense that Nico Harrison has assembled to put up in what is technically a big game despite the air of indifference toward the team currently coursing through large swaths of the Mavs’ fanbase. Put up, that is, or shut up and pack it in for the summer.

Exodus — movement of Ja’s ankle​

Here’s hoping that Bob Marley reference lands, and here’s also hoping the Mavs can contain the Grizzlies’ best player, Ja Morant. He scored 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting but turned the ball over five times in Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. He had to leave the game after turning an ankle late in the third quarter, but came back in early in the fourth and finished the game on the floor. He did look limited when he came back in, though.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Thursday that Morant did not practice with the team and would be considered a game-time decision against the Mavericks. But his fourth-quarter return, combined with two full days’ rest before meeting the Mavs, leads us to believe he’ll ultimately be available.

Ja Morant did not practice today. Gametime decision, per Tuomas Iisalo

— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) April 17, 2025​

“I’m playing,” Morant told reporters in the televised postgame press conference following Tuesday’s loss to Golden State. Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo sounded hopeful, according to reports, but not quite as confident as Morant himself.

“If he feels he’s good to go, we have full trust in him,” Iisalo told the Commercial Appeal. “He’s also a very good judge of how and if he’s ready to go or not. I’m leaning on the experts in this situation, which clearly I’m not in the medical department.”

The Bane of Dallas’ Play-In existence​

Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images
Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on December 3, 2024 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

If Morant is somehow unable to go or limited in any way on Friday, the playmaking burden will shift significantly onto the plate of another budding Mavs Killer, Desmond Bane. The sharpshooting playmaker out of TCU scored 30 in Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors on 5-of-8 from 3-point range.

His career numbers have always been elevated against Dallas, his 17.8 points per game average inflating to 21.1 in 16 games against the Mavs. He also grabs 5.6 boards against Dallas, a full rebound higher than his 4.6 career mark. In his last 10 against the Mavericks, Bane has averaged 24.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists per game. It’s safe to say that he gets up for these games.

With the injuries in the Dallas backcourt (primarily, yes, the season-ending one to Kyrie Irving’s knee), Memphis appears to have the clear advantage in guard play in this matchup. Can the Mavericks make up for it with defense and domination in the paint? Can they at least make it more competitive than the 35-point margin the last time around?

Or is this all just a waste of time?

How to watch​

The Mavericks and the Grizzlies are scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. CDT on Friday at the Fedex Forum. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...rth-on-the-line-against-the-memphis-grizzlies

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Looking back at the Mavericks’ season-ending 120-106 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Dallas flopped in the second game of its 8-day road trip, ending a long and frustrating season and leaving the organisation with more questions than answers going forward.

It’s over. It’s done. The Dallas Mavericks’ season is done after their 120-106 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the final game of the Play-In tournament. Memphis will now progress as the #8 seed to face the league-best Oklahoma City Thunder.

77 days after trading No. 77, the Dallas Mavericks were eliminated in the play-in tournament, losing 120-106 to the Memphis Grizzlies. pic.twitter.com/F0I4oHsPoH

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) April 19, 2025​

The Mavericks had almost everyone available except for Kyrie Irving (ACL Tear) & Olivier Maxence-Prosper (Wrist Surgery), which was about as healthy as the Mavericks have been in months. The pregame chatter for Dallas surrounded speculation about Brandon Williams’ availability (Oblique Strain), but he was cleared to play after a pre-game workout.

The Mavericks came out with zero energy in the first frame, with Memphis getting out in transition and seemingly getting every shot they wanted on offense. Nico Harrison’s mantra of ‘Defense wins Championships’ seemingly didn’t get conveyed to the players, as everyone on the Dallas side looked listless and uninterested, leading to them ending the first quarter in a 15-point hole.

From then on, it was cruise control for the Grizzlies as they toyed with the Mavericks all game long. Dallas came out of the half with a run to cut the lead down to 7 points and seemingly take control of the game, before Memphis stepped up and put the game to bed. The fourth quarter largely played out like garbage time, with the Mavericks unable to mount any semblance of a comeback to save their season.

Let’s look at how Dallas graded out in a season-ending spanking at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies:

Naji Marshall: B-​

13 Points/4 Rebounds/5 Assists/2 Steals/3 Blocks​

Naji’s evolution into the team’s starting Point Guard in Kyrie Irving’s absence has been a joy to watch. For large parts of the first half, though, he looked invisible as the Mavericks ran their offense through Anthony Davis. He picked it up in the second half, though, and ended up stuffing the stat sheet. Regardless of the way the season ended, Naji Marshall has been a bright spot for the Mavericks, all things considered.

Klay Thompson: C​

18 Points/3 Rebounds/3 Assists​

While Klay’s overall stat line looks positive, his on-court play didn’t look great. The Mavericks desperately ran actions all night to get him free, but Memphis remained disciplined and didn’t give him the airspace to get going. Klay didn’t help matters by settling for wild off-balance three-pointers, which might have been the norm for 26-year-old Klay Thompson, not the 36-year-old version that we’re watching. He ended the game 7/15 from the floor and 4/11 from the three-point line, good for a minus-11 rating.

P.J. Washington: D​

0 Points/6 Rebounds/3 Assists/2 Steals​

PJ didn’t show up. For a Mavericks team bereft of scoring punch, for PJ to be this invisible is shocking. He got in early foul trouble against Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., which led to him being out of sorts. It also didn’t help Washington that the Mavericks ran their offense through AD, leaving few options for guys like PJ, Naji & Lively to get going. PJ has been one of the biggest losers of the post-Luka trade fiasco, with the Mavericks needing him to create more of his offense, something which Washington isn’t really efficient at.

Anthony Davis: B-​

40 Points/9 Rebounds/2 Assists/1 Steal/1 Block​

How does a 40-point game result in a ‘B-’ grade? Well, it does when a player noted for being a two-way monster shows up only on one end. Davis, for all his scoring, did not look interested in defending for large parts of the first half, leading to the Grizzlies’ explosion on that end. At times, it looked like Dallas was forcing the offense through Davis, making him look like a supersized Spencer Dinwiddie. AD needs to be given flowers for his will to play through some obvious injuries - he’s a class act, but this version of AD isn’t really helping anyone, and at nearly 33 years old, it remains to be seen whether it’ll ever get better.

Continued: "Obviously, it's a lot of emotion. I know it's not directed towards me. The city loved the guy. Get rid of a guy. New guy comes in, yet they want to embrace you & they're thankful for you, it still stings. I'm just thankful & appreciative for the city of Dallas & the… https://t.co/V4GRSYB0G5

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) April 19, 2025​

Dereck Lively: C-​

0 Points/5 Rebounds/3 Assists/2 Steals/2 Blocks​

Dereck Lively has been the biggest loser from the Luka Doncic trade. Sure, the fact that he’s still recovering from a foot injury plays a part in it as well. The fact of the matter is, though, Lively needs someone to help him generate his offense, and the Mavericks have no real point guard. The Mavericks can’t have Lively be a one-dimensional defense-first player. For this version of the Mavericks to succeed, Dereck Lively needs to do more than what he’s doing right now. He’s been on a minutes restriction as part of his injury management and played only 20 minutes in the game.

Dante Exum: C​

3 Points/2 Rebound/1 Steal​

A one-handed Dante Exum was the Mavericks’ lead guard off the bench. What an indictment of the state of Dallas’ roster. Exum played with his characteristic energy and kept the ball moving, but he was limited in his ability to affect the game. This game was emblematic of how Exum’s season has gone, and it remains to be seen whether he’s in the Mavericks’ future plans going forward.

Cormac Christie: B-​

11 Points/1 Rebound/1 Block​

Cormac has ended the season looking like an undrafted player being asked to play a bigger role than he’s capable of. The Mavericks’ runs in the game came when Cormac & Brandon Williams were on the floor as the only players who could actually hit a shot. Let’s hope that Cormac continues his development trend and becomes a consistent contributor off the bench. The Mavericks desperately need him to.

Caleb Martin: D​

0 Points/0 Rebounds/1 Assists​

LOL. The only reason why people aren’t laughing at the Quentin Grimes-Caleb Martin trade is that it came on the back of the Luka-AD trade. One could argue that the Grimes-Martin trade was worse. Martin played 10 minutes and didn’t contribute anything of note. The fact of the matter is that he has a tradeable contract that fits in as a salary filler, if needed, in a larger move.

Daniel Gafford: B​

5 Points/3 Rebounds/1 Assist/1 Block​

Gafford’s energy off the bench has been great to watch, and it’s obvious, right now, that he looks a better fit with AD on the floor. Like Lively though, he looks a little slow coming off his injury. He ended up playing 18 minutes and was a Mavericks-best plus-6, which was a team-high.

Brandon Williams: B+​

16 Points/3 Rebounds/7 Assists/1 Steal​

This season has been Brandon Williams’ coming-out party, particularly in the wake of the deluge of injuries. He looked like the Mavericks’ second-best player on the floor tonight, even if shots weren’t falling. He’s still probably Dallas’ best point guard on the roster, even with Kyrie back. His play has been a breath of fresh air in a season of doo-doo, and the Mavericks need to ensure that he remains on the roster for at least next season.

BONUS​

Nico Harrison: F​

For the last time this season, Fire Nico Harrison.

This game was the perfect showcase for the flawed nature of the roster that Nico assembled and has defended with some truly baffling logic.

Dallas now heads into a tumultuous offseason full of more questions than answers. Ironically, a situation that Nico was seemingly trying to avoid by trading Luka Doncic away in the first place. Funny how Karma works sometimes, doesn’t it?

pic.twitter.com/8QBCFDibsj

— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) April 19, 2025​

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...4-18-mavericks-grizzlies-recap-120-106-grades

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Kyrie Injury Update - Good news for people who love bad news

Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images

Kyrie Irving may return to action much sooner than originally expected

The 2024-25 season is officially over for the Dallas Mavericks after losing in the Play-In Tournament to the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night. For some Mavs’ fans (perhaps even the majority), this comes as a mercy. This season has been laden with an unprecedented level of bad basketball news to the point it requires actual effort to remember what good basketball news feels like. Depending on how committed you are to Kyrie Irving’s tenure in Dallas, the string of bad luck the franchise has endured of late may yet be breaking.

Buried in the excitement of the Play-In Tournament and the rage felt toward Nico Harrison’s cloak-and-dagger media session (don’t miss Brent Brooks’ fantastic piece on that, coming to Mavs Moneyball on Sunday morning) was an update on Irving’s injury status. During the episode of NBA Countdown prior to the Mavs/Kings game Wednesday, Shams Charania dropped the extremely optimistic update on Irving. “There’s optimism that he [Irving] will be back by January,” stated Shams.

Reporting for NBA Countdown on the target return for Dallas Mavericks All-Star Kyrie Irving after his March ACL tear: pic.twitter.com/nIXqxiKNzR

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 17, 2025​

ACL injuries such as the one Irving suffered on March 3 are typically expected to carry a six-to-12 month recovery time, often trending toward the long side of that range. If in fact Irving returns nearer to the start of January 2026, that will put his recovery time at nine months. Should the Mavs’ fortunes prove to turn around in this manner, that will mean Irving only misses two months of next season and will have plenty of time to load up for a potential run to the Playoffs.

We are a long way away from the start of next season, with the NBA Draft and an Offseason of potential transactions yet to come, but for a fanbase starved for something positive and a relatively narrow championship window, news of Irving’s return being sooner than expected will hopefully provide Mavs Nation with some hope.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...update-good-news-for-people-who-love-bad-news

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Seeing through Nico Harrison’s word games

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

The embattled GM provided a masterclass of evasion, omission, and obfuscation. It will never be enough to deflect his infamy in Dallas lore.

Mavs Governor Patrick Dumont mandated Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison to address the media before the Luka Doncic return game on April 9th. That presser was postponed, much like you might delay a trip to the dentist or DMV. Ostensibly unable to delay this interaction any longer and aiming to curb the use of his voice and image after the fact in various forms of media, Harrison, alongside gallant human shield CEO Rick Welts, met with handpicked media members on Tuesday. An awkward no-cameras/microphones-allowed, cloak-and-dagger maneuver that backfired spectacularly.

Having no shortage of flowery, circular statements that lead back to his inch-deep rationale makes listening to Harrison a slog. This is toxic positivity in a distillation. Corporate double-speak straight out of Severance or Black Mirror - where the well-practiced executive parrots predetermined talking points with only minor deviations meant to go back on track towards core themes in a sentence or two. Evading the heart of the matter is far easier when there are 15 reporters in the room lobbing questions, many of them hard-hitting and warranted, rather than one interviewer ready to dole out a verbal pincer maneuver.

Here we peer past the smoke screens and do our best to get at what Harrison is really saying and - worse yet - what he knows he cannot say publicly.

Hello, I Must Be Going!​

Christian Clark, the Athletic

Nico, Tim talked about the pick situation. I mean, you’ve said in the past is the three-to four-year window. I think clearly this is a team built to win right now. Was just curious, do you see yourself in Dallas long term, do you want to be this team’s GM in 2028-2029?

Nico Harrison

Yeah. I mean, I have three years left on my contract, I see myself finishing it out. In terms of Dallas, like, this is our home. My family, they’re gonna finish school here. This is where, this is where we live. So, this is where I’m living.

Much like the title of Phil Collins’ 1982 album Hello, I Must Be Going!, Harrison makes it clear he is here for a good time, not a long time. The desire to keep your kids in school rather than uproot them is something most people can relate to, and it speaks to the rationale for “this is where we live, so this is where I’m living.” Harrison has no long-term future here, based on his admission.

If you knew the world was ending tomorrow, you’d spend today differently. If you had a year to live, you might spend your savings differently. With Harrison knowing his best-case scenario is three more years in a job with no plan to stay past that point, the shortsighted nature of the Luka Doncic trade begins to take on a supreme selfishness. The NBA draft pick credit card bill is coming due in 2027, and Harrison has no appetite for the dark days he engineered. That much professional fatalism is strangely liberating. No need to pretend you care about what happens to the franchise down the line once your band of thirty-somethings has played out the string. No first-round picks, no tentpole player to keep the franchise out of the NBA abyss, no problem - because he will not be here. If the “move on already” crowd wants to know why so many of us are not excited about winning a play-in game in Sacramento before flaming out in Memphis, this is why. The future is bleak, no matter how many threes Klay Thompson drains in a row or how many games against middling teams Anthony Davis dominates. Luka Doncic was Armageddon insurance. For Harrison, that is superfluous since he knows his era’s furthest end date in advance. Harrison and Kidd will be gone, Welts will be working on the arena, and the Mavericks will be losing a metric ton of games with no place in the lottery to show for it.

The Rolodex Backfired​

Ben Swanger, D Magazine

You mentioned that you were targeting AD when you got the term sheet, when you got the offer in front of you, did you ever once consider maybe calling other GMs and seeing if you could get a better offer?

Nico Harrison

Yeah, it’s a great question. Again, our whole time, we wanted a two-way player. Again, our philosophies went in with defense, and AD is at the top of the list, and when we had that opportunity, we struck. In this league, where players really run the league and you guys have seen it with other teams, they dictate where they’re going to go and where they’re not going to go. We had an opportunity to do this quietly, without the interference of that, and so we did it.

Once you accept that Harrison is clear about his departure date and feels no sense of stewardship for the franchise beyond his time in charge, his approach to team building makes a lot of sense. The pursuit of players he had ties to from Team USA and/or Nike is the chief governing principle. Why he zeroed in on Anthony Davis at the expense of potentially getting more from another team is not even the question that should be asked - we already have the answer. Reports of the original Laker offer containing Dalton Knecht and a 2031 first-round pick hinged on Los Angeles being able to get assurances from Doncic that he would sign an extension before the trade. As that would have shattered the secrecy, Harrison was willing to take less to keep the shroud of silence intact. The Mavericks traded for Davis, Max Christie, a first-rounder, and...silence. To be so determined to jettison the most talented player in franchise history that you take less from the only bidder is one of the most grievous cases of front office malpractice in NBA history.

The 2021 headhunting process Mark Cuban commissioned was cut short when he hired Nico Harrison - the lure of the coveted Rolodex was that magnetic. After years of striking out with marquee free agent targets, ‘there's no way the Mavs will only be used for leverage in this new era’ - must have been the thinking. Here was Harrison - someone who could open a dialogue with potential free agents. Hence, the “Dallas is gonna get a seat at the table” quote from the introductory presser. If you could throw Wonder Woman’s magic lasso around Cuban and get complete honesty in hindsight, I imagine we would hear that the mistake was not in hiring someone who would eventually force him out of the decision tree - the real sin came beforehand. Hiring someone who had no front office experience in anticipation of Harrison’s relationship capital buoying the franchise was pure folly.

In the case of Irving, it worked. In the case of Davis, Hall of Fame resume and all, the Mavericks traded for three more seasons of an oft-injured player at the cost of a decade of relevance, contention, and fanbase connection. The admission Cuban would likely make - if bound by that fictional lasso - is that not only would he never have approved this trade, but no seasoned front-office executive who ever hoped to have a career in the NBA beyond their current posting would ever do such a thing. This makes the hiring of Harrison an abhorrent error in judgment, only brought to fruition years later, once Cuban was out of the picture. Nico Harrison’s irrational disdain for Doncic, obsession with his buddy Davis, and his manipulation of Dumont - now sitting in the seat Cuban had held for so long - was the recipe for disaster. A looming nuclear winter for the franchise, all for the sake of some street cred.

The Big Lie of Omission​

Tim McMahon, ESPN

So first of all, Luka said he was absolutely signing the super max. His decision was made. He was closing on a house here. Why not sign him to that supermax? I know you can’t trade him this year. Can’t trade him this summer. You gotta wait a year and a half. He would be under contract for at least four years at that point, and then he has no say. Damian Lillard wanted to go to Miami. He ended up in Milwaukee. If you want to maximize the value of Luka Dončić, why not use the supermax to your advantage?

Nico Harrison

Well, there’s no guarantee he would have signed a super max, but

Tim McMahon, ESPN

He has guaranteed— the man was bawling on the bench. Like, come on.

Nico Harrison

Well, like I said, we can agree to disagree, and that’s fine, but we targeted AD. And again, I go back to the same thing. I feel like I’m a broken record, but the team that we intended to put on the floor, which you guys saw for two and a half quarters, that’s a championship caliber team. And so you might not like it, but that’s the fact it is. And so that’s really where we’re at.

In Cleveland, hours after the trade bombshell detonated, Harrison declared this impending “tumultuous summer” averted. It is extremely important to tether that quote with the one above, as ESPN’s Tim McMahon gives Harrison every opportunity to state the obvious - the Mavericks were never going to offer Luka Doncic the supermax.

Luka is still using the busted phone he threw across the room once he realized the news was real and made it clear in an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews that he had intended to follow Dirk’s path of career-long loyalty to Dallas. Harrison prophylactically raised doubt surrounding Doncic gaining leverage ahead of the final year of his current contract to provide a narrative fig leaf. If Nico Harrison was starkly honest about his decision to never offer the supermax, a key part of his flimsy narrative falls apart.

No supermax-eligible player has ever declined to sign the deal. This means no organization has ever decided against offering it. Admitting the post-Cuban Mavericks were no longer going to invest in Doncic opens up a can of other questions (when was the decision not to offer the supermax made inside the brain trust?) and makes the PR nightmare orders of magnitude worse for this regime. Even if it meant gaining leverage to orchestrate a more favorable trade down the line (much the way the Portland Trailblazers handled the Damian Lillard situation), Harrison would have had to wait well into his remaining three-year window to pull off a deal post-Supermax.

There have been so many questions asked since this trade. How could this happen? Why would the Mavericks do this? It is all so very simple if we are being honest with ourselves and tuning out the doublespeak flowing from the front office. Harrison was and remains unqualified for the job, does not plan to stay beyond his contract, and never planned to offer Doncic the supermax. Pure and simple. Now imagine one reporter (instead of fifteen) armed with a line of questioning from that vantage point, with cameras rolling.

Patrick Dumont is the only person who can short-circuit the remainder of Harrison’s reign of one-man fantasy basketball. The veterans on this team are fine players, some with Hall of Fame careers already cemented. Trading these players represents the only path to a short rebuild versus a banishment to the wilderness for a decade or more. Given how much Dumont claims losing the “championship games” impacted him, I wonder how 12-18 wins and no lottery pick to show for it season after season, as the new arena is being built, will feel a few years down the line.

Pain now, or more pain later. This is Patrick Dumont’s fork in the road moment, even if he does not realize it until it is far too late. As for Nico Harrison, the opening track entitled “I Don’t Care Anymore” off the aforementioned Phil Collins album will serve as his anthem for his remaining days as General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...1418/seeing-through-nico-harrisons-word-games

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Buyer’s remorse? - how Klay Thompson feels about joining the Mavs

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Thompson shows poise and professionalism when asked how he feels about signing with Dallas now that Doncic is gone

The Dallas Mavericks’ season came to an end after a 120-106 loss to the Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament Friday night. After the game, Klay Thompson fielded a pointed question that clearly put him on the spot. A reporter asked Thompson: “knowing what you know now, would you have made the same decision to come to Dallas last summer?”

On the surface, this question seems generic enough to be asked to anyone who joined Dallas as a free agent last Offseason. A brief recollection of recent history suggests there was a reason the question wasn’t directed to a player such as Naji Marshall, however.

Thompson joining Dallas was a momentous day for the franchise. At the time, he was quoted as saying “I was watching just as a basketball fan, and I did see, like, ‘Man, I could really help this team. They’re right there.” He went on to say “we’re knocking on the door, and that’s what really got me excited to be here.”

Thompson famously chose Dallas over the Los Angeles Lakers. Rather than play with LeBron James and, ironically, Anthony Davis, he wanted to play with Luka Donic and Kyrie Irving. In regards to Doncic, Thompson said at the time, “I just appreciate someone who is not afraid of the moment and competes till the end. Luka fits that bill. I think we’ll be able to bring the best out of each other.” Thompson’s decision came at the chagrin of his father, Mychal Thompson, as well. The elder Thompson is an announcer for LA and was hopeful to have his son right in his front yard, yet despite all of that, Thompson was Dallas-bound.

In that context, the question asked of Thompson after Friday’s loss bordered on personal. In no uncertain terms, Thompson was asked a difficult question that essentially amounted to “do you regret your decision to join the Mavericks?”

Ever the professional, Thompson handled the inquiry with aplomb. See for yourself.

Klay Thompson was asked if he still would have signed with the Mavericks if he knew Luka Doncic would be traded

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)pic.twitter.com/6N5dBSPeks

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 19, 2025​

This really speaks to Thompson’s overall poise and professionalism. His initial reaction is almost comical and defuses what easily could have been a contentious interaction. He then proceeds to call the question out as “ridiculous” before pivoting back to a graceful response which articulates an incredible bit of perspective that the listener can apply to a variety of life situations. “That’s kind of a ridiculous question because I don’t own a time machine and I don’t believe in going back or looking back. If I did that my whole career, I would not be where I’m at and I wouldn’t have been able to persevere through two really hard injuries, so I’m here in Dallas and I enjoyed my time and I’m looking forward to the future.”

Responding while simultaneously demonstrating a perspective of no-regrets perseverance was fantastic on multiple levels. He answers the question, refuses to publicly play into any frustration over the Doncic trade (thus avoiding drama the team has more than enough of already) and incidentally gives us all a bit of encouragement to not look back with regret if there is an opportunity to still look to the potential of a positive future. If this doesn’t endear him to any holdouts in the Dallas fanbase, I’m not sure anything will.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...rse-klay-thompson-joining-the-mavs-no-regrets

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Nico Harrison thinks he’s ‘done a really good job here,’ and other gems from his end-of-year presser

A hat that reads “Fire Nico” is seen before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on April 09, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. | Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks general manager faced the media for his 2024-25 exit press conference, one week after his failed closed-door roundtable with select media members.

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison believes at least two things that are sure to rile the team’s fan base all over again, according to his end-of-season press conference Monday.

Thing one:​

“I’ve done a really good job here,” Harrison said in response to a pointed question on why he deserves to retain his position with the team at this point, as calls for his job ring out from every corner of fandom after the shocking trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and spare change in February.

“I think I’ve done a really good job here,” Harrison said with fuller context. “And I don’t think I should be judged by the injuries this year. You have to judge from totality from beginning to end. I think I have a really good relationship with Patrick [Dumont]. ... You’ll see next year when our team comes back, we’re going to be competing for a championship.”

So, he believes that the full totality of his resume bullet points during his four seasons as Mavs GM speaks for itself, and he believes at this point, that he has the support of his superiors, specifically naming team Governor Dumont as someone he believes to be in his corner. He says this as another report landed Monday morning that disputes that characterization of the relationship between the two.

A reporter just asked Nico Harrison “why shouldn’t you be fired?”

(h/t @NationMffl) pic.twitter.com/s8BF5QKpnB

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 21, 2025​

This is from a DLLS piece written by Tim Cato:

“Team sources consistently express belief that Dumont no longer sees Harrison as a figure with irreproachable basketball expertise. Most notably, team and league sources say, Dumont has had frustration with Harrison not warning him — or, perhaps even more damningly, being unaware — of the fandom’s outrage following the trade. Those same sources say it had some influence over Dumont’s decision to make Harrison appear for last week’s closed media event, which Harrison did not want to participate in.”

Harrison admitted again Monday that he only realized how much Dončić meant to Mavericks fans and how long the outrage over moving him would persist after he pulled the trigger on the trade. He first made that admission in last week’s awkward behind-closed-doors media roundtable. The embattled GM also contested Cato’s report without calling it out directly by saying that the two-plus months after the trade actually strengthened his working relationship with Dumont.

“It actually strengthened [the relationship between Harrison and Dumont] because we talk a lot more and we’re kind of linked together to this,” Harrison said. “It’s made us have to have a lot more conversations. I believe we have a really good working relationship. He came out publicly and supported me, and I don’t take that lightly. I have to come out and deliver on that.”

"I did know that Luka was important to the fan base. I didn't quite know it to what level."

—Mavericks GM Nico Harrison on the Luka Doncic trade pic.twitter.com/AIpzFygBb3

— ESPN (@espn) April 21, 2025​

Thing two:​

Nico’s second core belief, which he kept going back to, almost as much as he trotted out the tired “defense wins championships” deflection at Monday’s press conference, is that he believes that his team, as constructed and when healthy, has the assets to compete for an NBA title as soon as next year.

“We return one of the best front lines in the NBA, and we’re going to have one of the deepest and most versatile benches in the league,” Nico said early on. When asked whether he believed Dončić to be a championship-caliber player, he dodged that bullet, too, saying, “That’s kind of an unfair question. Luka is no longer on this team. What I am excited about is that I believe we have a championship-caliber team, and we’ll show that next year.”

In his terse prepared statement from the top of the presser, he expanded on that:

“Our plan was to put Kyrie on the floor with [Davis, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington and Dereck Lively II] so that people could see the vision. Unfortunately, that never came.”

And that vision, even more unfortunately for Harrison & Co., won’t be realized until at least January 2026, after Irving underwent successful knee surgery for an ACL tear in March. That January timeline would put Irving’s recovery window at 9-10 months for an injury most medical professionals frame in a wider 6-to-12-month window. So, a March return for Irving is just as likely as the January timeline that team sources initially fed to ESPN insider Shams Charania.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported on Monday as part of a wide-ranging exclusive on dysfunction within the Mavericks organization, that the training and performance staff, now headed by Johann Bilsborough, which Harrison brought in to replace the staff headed by Casey Smith, are thought by some to be “optimistic” on return timetables following injuries.

Davis’ return to action on Feb. 8 in his first game with the Mavericks, which resulted in a non-contact adductor strain, and the recent revelation of Dereck Lively’s stress fracture in his ankle were cited as two possible points in favor of that argument.

So, for however long this supposedly “championship-caliber team” has to play without its best player in his Age 34 next year, how does Harrison plan on replacing Irving’s production in the lineup?

“One, I feel good that you can’t replace Kyrie through free agency. He’s too good as a player,” he said. “We have a really deep and versatile bench, and some of those guys will have to fill the void by committee, and then we’ll use free agency and we’ll use the draft.”

Further obfuscation on his relationship with Luka​

The Nico Harrison presser was a disaster. Visibly nervous, spinning the pen in his hands the entire time. So many avoidant answers, other than some slips that just show how incompetent he is.

The Mavericks should pull the plug on Nico’s plan. Rebuild. Start totally fresh. https://t.co/5VAe1bL9w5

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) April 21, 2025​

MacMahon’s report Monday morning indicates that the relationship between Dončić’s camp and the Harrison-led front office deteriorated over the course of the 2023-24 season, a year before Dončić led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. It details the systematic removal of the pro-Luka parts of the front office, especially the dismantling of the training staff that Smith had been a part of since 2004.

However, in Monday’s press conference, Harrison said the decision to move on from Dončić did not build over a period of six, nine or 12 months, as MacMahon reported.

“It wasn’t so much that there was a straw that broke the camel’s back,” Harrison said. “When you live with someone for three years, you get to know their strengths and weaknesses. It was more about a change in philosophy in terms of, ‘how can we get a top defensive team that will help us win a championship?’

When asked directly whether his relationship with Dončić or members of Dončić’s camp led to the trade, he side-stepped giving any sort of substantive answer.

“I worked at Nike for 20 years, and there are superstars that have teams around them, and you have to cater to them, and they’ve earned that. I don’t worry about getting along with people. I can work with anybody.”

So, then, Nico, what prevented you from getting more in return for a legendary player in his ascendency who was only 25 at the time of the trade? He tried to spin his answer, implying in his answer that asking for more back in the trade equates with a lack of respect for Davis’ track record at Age 32.

“The biggest thing is if you don’t value AD as an All-NBA player and an All-Defensive player, then you’re not going to like him,” Harrison said. “If you don’t like him, there’s nothing else that we’re going to get that’s going to make you excited about the trade, and we value him.

Yea, Nico, for the millionth time, no one said they didn’t like Davis. There goes your team GM trying to drive yet another wedge between the fanbase in a top-five media market and players he’s put in the toughest positions of their respective careers.

Odds and ends​

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks lies on the court after suffering an injury in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on March 03, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.

Harrison also said on Monday that Davis, who appeared to have continued discomfort in the hip/groin area during the Mavericks’ play-in games against the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies, would not require surgery this offseason. He said he didn’t believe Lively would on his ankle/foot, either.

When asked about the possibility of Irving opting into his player option for 2025-26, Harrison said that it is “too early to speculate what Kyrie is going to do, but he’s going to be a Maverick next year.”

If he opts out, the Mavericks may make him an even more lucrative offer than the $44 million he would be owed next season if he opts in, and Harrison’s comments above seem to indicate they would offer him either more money or additional years should Irving opt out of the player option.

“Kyrie is a big part of what our future is, and that’s not going to change whether he opts in or opts out,” Harrison said in response to another question. Our core is actually connected for the next two to three seasons. I don’t see a lot of movement around our core. It’s more how you shape around that, and that starts with the draft.”

The NBA Draft will take place on June 25 at 7 p.m. You can watch a replay of Harrison’s exit press conference below:

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...e-and-other-gems-from-his-end-of-year-presser

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavs YouTube RoundUp: When The Party’s Over Edition

The YT ecosystem has plenty so say about the end of the season

The RoundUp makes an appearance at the finish line. A season that began shimmering with promise is now mercifully over. You may have wanted to see the Dallas Mavericks will their way into a trip to Bricktown, or you may have felt relief after the loss in Memphis. Either way, the RoundUp believes this fanbase has been the piñata for nearly three months and deserves a break.

As for the players left standing, gutsy work. They never quit, and that is commendable. Where do we go from here? The draft is around the corner. Soon, it will be hot stove free agency chatter, and before you know it, training camp will be upon us.

The RoundUp is still processing recent events, as many of you are as well. The last time the Mavericks began a season without Dirk or Luka on the roster...we were still using dial-up modems.

This installment of the YouTube RoundUp kicks off with Kirk and Josh chatting after the season ender and transitions into a much-needed group therapy session.

Hats off to Locked On’s Isaac Harris for asking the best question of the day.

Coop maps out his best-case scenario. You’ll never guess what step one is.

This is the first year of the DLLS network in Dallas, and they have produced great analysis and reactions the whole way.

This is one of the best reactions to the awkward presser. Even people outside of Dallas are baffled at this constant weirdness from Harrison.

Slightly Biased reacts to the Tim MacMahon bunker buster that dropped Monday Morning.

Joe Trahan has the best voice timbre in Dallas sports media.

Rusty Buckets reacts right after the Memphis loss.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks awkwardly pieces together what the offseason may look like for the Mavs.

Rich Eisen chimes in after the Harrison presser.

If you are offended by rough language, skip this one. A compilation of trash talk that many of you will get a kick out of.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/4/22/24412131/mavs-youtube-roundup-when-the-partys-over-edition

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

“Take the ‘L’ !” - Barkley blasts Nico after latest press conference debacle

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Sir Charles sounds off, giving Nico Harrison some tough-love advice

Since the Luka Doncic trade shook the NBA landscape on February 2nd, Nico Harrison has only taken meaningful questions from the media on three separate occasions. The first was an unsettling affair alongside head coach Jason Kidd the day after the trade, as part of a pre-game press conference. Since that time, a veil of silence fell, only to be broken more than two months later at the insistence of Dallas Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont. Originally rumored to be scheduled prior to Doncic’s return to Dallas on April 9th, the semi-private invite-only meeting didn’t take place until nearly a week after the Mavericks match-up with LA. That was followed by another sit-down which basically amounted to an end-of-season media exit interview yesterday.

Much like the first two, the latest garnered its fair share of scrutiny as everyone outside of Nico Harrison’s immediate orbit attempts to make sense of the Doncic trade. One of the more recognizable faces in the sea of madness is none other than Charles Barkley. During last night’s broadcast of the NBA Playoffs on TNT, Barkley took time out for a 45-second monologue. Actively seeking the camera that was honed-in on him, and with co-host Kenny Smith dropping an “OK, uh-oh” at what he anticipated was coming, Sir Charles addressed his friend Harrison directly with a few nuggets of wisdom, two of which stand out above the rest.

“Man, don’t do no more press conferences,” and “This war is over, brother… you’ve taken the L[oss].”

Chuck has a message for Nico Harrison: pic.twitter.com/jBPZvxSGuq

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 21, 2025​

To some degree, this is just Barkley being Barkley. Still, he really nails what Harrison probably needs to hear right now. There is no way to recover at this time and holding these press conferences is not helping the cause at this point. Harrison left a pot to boil for nearly two-months. When he finally broke the seal, it was vis-a-vis a cloak-and-dagger (no cameras, no recording devices) meeting with guests who were given barely 24-hour’s notice to attend.

Hindsight is 20/20, but Harrison needed to act more quickly and more openly than he did. Each misstep required a course-correction that has unfortunately made things worse. Now that the season is over and exit interviews are complete, Harrison and the organization may finally be better positioned to take Barkley’s unsolicited advice – take the loss and shift focus toward stringing together some wins. Harrison is not in a position to cease all press conferences as Barkley suggests (despite his best efforts for two months), nor should he. He needs to be available in the customary manner with something other than the trade to discuss.

To his credit, Harrison has not back-pedaled from his decision - he insists he holds the best interests of the Mavericks and that the deals he orchestrated are in fact intelligent ones on which a championship hinges. Think what you will of that, he at least holds conviction in his actions. He now needs to focus on the upcoming draft and free agency, with future public comments holding an eye toward next season. For all of our sake, he needs to find a way to change the narrative. Something he probably could have done in February had he not delayed things this long.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...arrison-after-latest-press-conference-debacle

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Where the Mavericks sit on the list of Worst Franchises in the NBA

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

The players have spoken, officially landing the Mavs on the “worst” list

The Athletic recently conducted an anonymous survey of NBA players, asking them to vote on a simple question: what is the league’s worst organization? There is not much context relative to what constitutes the “worst” in this scenario, leaving it up to the opinion of the voter. Is it management? Geography? Culture? Current success? Hope for the future? For something as subjective as this, it’s safe to assume all of the above and more factor into each player’s respective vote.

10 of the 30 NBA franchises garnered 1% or more of the total votes, with your Dallas Mavericks falling just on the good side of the midway point, landing them worse than only the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, and Philadelphia 76ers. For perspective, four of the five teams ranked worse than Dallas on this list, had fewer than 25 wins this season.

The Mavericks are now considered one of the NBA’s worst franchises according to players in the anonymous players survey conducted by @TheAthleticNBA #MFFL pic.twitter.com/0tdX9R8dqi

— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) April 22, 2025​

Pay close attention to the details here though, as that is where the Devil likes to live. I’ve long championed the notion that statistics are true lies – that is, in the right (wrong?) hands, they can be made to illustrate a picture on the surface that may not be the full story.

You’ll notice that only 113 players actually voted in the survey, thus making the Mavericks’ 4.4% equal to five players. Roughly 500 players call the NBA home, so 113 is at least a reasonable sample size for something of this nature, but 4.4% may mislead the viewer into believing a bigger real number of players felt this way.

While no team wants to appear on this list, the real takeaway for Mavs fans may be that this is a very favorable outcome considering the current state of things in Big D. There was a joke amongst the staff here at MMB that the five Mav votes came from Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris, Quentin Grimes and Christian Wood!

With all due respect to the Hornets and Wizards, their ranking and percentages on this pole are a bit more meaningful, with Charlotte in particular running away with the dubious victory. It is also curious to see the 76ers on this list at all, given their die-hard fanbase in the City of Brotherly Love. The New York Knicks are also a curiosity for a similar reason, particularly as they are as good as they have been in recent years and holding the 3 Seed in the Eastern Conference. Again, their real number of votes is miniscule and Dallas mercifully falls much closer to the good side than the bad. Maybe all that talk about no one ever again wanting to play here is overblown afterall!

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/4/23/24414290/where-mavericks-sit-on-list-of-worst-franchises-nba

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavs YouTube RoundUp: The Trial of Luka Edition

Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

How much franchise swag was lost?

You might be quick to say, “Why do you guys need to post a Luka shoe commercial? Isn’t this a Mavs website?” Oh, I can hear the clickity clack of keyboards in the comment section already. Yet the point, beyond how genuinely hilarious the ad is, speaks to what the Mavericks lost. Carve out just under eight minutes from your day and have a watch:

Luka will indeed be promoted and propped up by his sponsors, networks, and the league in a way he never was in Dallas. Things tend to work that way for Laker stars. Many of the same voices that derided him on the West Coast are already singing his praises. Promixity and self-interest are powerful forces.

Forget for a moment the pain, the injuries, and the middling record. Think about the money. Think about the balance sheets reported to show staggering losses for the Dallas Mavericks as the face of the franchise was shuttled away in the dark of night. Think about how Patrick Dumont has reportedly begun to sour on Nico Harrison and no longer sees him as a paragon of NBA wisdom.

The RoundUp contends that the financial hit the Mavericks have and will continue to take square on the chin is a direct reflection of the loss of swagger. Nico Harrison’s vaunted career in the NBA shoe business should have prepared him for this dynamic. The Mavericks drafted two point guards in 2018 who represent the first and fifth highest-selling jerseys in the league this year. Neither one being on the roster is a managerial atrocity.

Season ticket holders, sponsors, and networks deciding which games to carry nationally care very little about Harrison’s vision. They have and will continue to do the one thing that Patrick Dumont will find increasingly difficult to ignore - vote with their wallet.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/4/23/24414098/mavs-youtube-roundup-the-trial-of-luka-edition

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

Do you want these two Mavericks employees to stick around?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dallas Mavericks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

These are simple questions. The current Dallas heirarchy came in as a packaged deal, with Jason Kidd getting the headlines, but it’s been Nico Harrison who shook up the Dallas Mavericks world. Recent press conferences and news indicate fans are not happy, but how unhappy are you. I think if Harrison goes, Kidd has to go too, as he knew about the trade, no matter what he likes to say. But he has also done a good job actually coaching! It’s not easy once you start to get into it. Let us know what you think, results soon!

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/4/24/24413393/sb-reacts-nico-harrison-and-jason-kidd

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks Tankathon: Week 1 of Simulating the NBA Draft lottery every day

Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images

It’s the unceremonious return of Tankathon to our lives

Hello darkness my old friend...

Ah, yes. While these highly entertaining NBA Playoffs rage on, the Dallas Mavericks are sitting at home, thinking about the mistakes that they’ve made. The 2024-25 season was an unmitigated disaster that undoubtedly set the franchise back for a decade. However, there is little time for them to dwell on that issue, as the NBA Draft Lottery is rapidly approaching.

Over the course of the next couple weeks, we will run a daily Tankathon simulation every day until the NBA Draft Lottery takes place on May 12th. We’ll recap the spins and dive into who could potentially be available at that pick based off of what numerous mock drafts have projected.

April 21​

The pick: Jase Richardson (Michigan State)​

For Dallas with the 11th pick, there’s likely to be at least a couple guards who could be helpful. Jase Richardson out of Michigan State would be my choice. Richardson is young, but when he entered the rotation at the start of Big Ten Conference play, the Spartans took off. Jase could use some work in the ballhandling department, but he’s an above average athlete who shot the three at over 41%. That is enough for me to see that he’s got a chance to be an impactful player in this league.

April 22​

The pick: Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)​

The same scenarios exist for the Mavericks here, as well, including a potential trade back to try and stack some assets moving forward. In this case, we’ll take Jakucionis, a Lithuanian out of the University of Illinois. Jakucionis has the size and skill to develop into an all-star caliber player, but he’s got to get the turnovers under control and find some consistency with his shot. Kasparas only shot 44% from the floor and 31% from deep. However, he shot almost 85% from the free throw line, so that gives you hope that he can develop as a shooter.

As an aside, if you thought Phoenix Suns fans were going through it during this tumultuous season in the desert, just wait and see their reaction if this scenario plays out. This pick was originally sent to Brooklyn for Kevin Durant, but it now resides in Houston after the Rockets gave the Nets their draft capital back in exchange for a few Suns picks.

April 23​

The pick: Trade back to mid 20’s, take best available player​

Welcome to the first of many attempts of me trying to will this franchise into trading down. Let’s face reality for just a minute here: The Mavericks are strapped for picks, and they have a very old team. That’s not a good recipe! The way to try and fix this is to accumulate assets wherever it is possible, and there’s no time like the draft in order to do so.

It’s especially helpful when you look at the group of players who project to be late first rounders. Carter Bryant (Arizona) is a guy who I’m going to try and will to this team. Nique Clifford (Colorado State) was an all-conference player who can fill it up. Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) was the best player on the team that just won the National Championship. Labarron Philon (Alabama) projected as a lottery pick preseason and slipped a bit throughout the year, but the talent is undeniable. These are just a few of the guys who could be available in the back half of the first round. Sign me up for this option.

April 24​

The pick: Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma)​

I don’t have much faith in Fears falling all the way out of the top ten in this draft, but some people do, so we must at least look at the possibility. Fears, like top pick Cooper Flagg, reclassified in high school, meaning he should still be a senior at AZ Compass Prep in Arizona. Instead, he’s a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Fears averaged 17/4/4 in his lone season in Norman, but the efficiency was lacking. That’s not out of the ordinary for a guy who didn’t turn 18 until after the season had already started, but that is likely to be even more of an issue early on in his NBA career. Still, this guy has the talent that you just don’t pass on. He’s extremely fast and has really good hands, averaging over a steal and a half as a freshman. If Fears is available at 11th overall, they should absolutely stick and pick him.

April 25​

The pick: Liam McNeely (UConn)​

A player who is consistently mocked in the late lottery, why not Dallas for the Richardson product? McNeely was the Huskies’ most highly touted player this year, and he showed flashes as to what the hype was all about. However, McNeely as a whole was very inconsistent. He shot less than 40% from the field and just 32% from 3. However, he’s 86% from the foul line, so the shot is not totally busted. McNeely was also a good rebounder, averaging over six per game.

Forward doesn’t stick out as a glaring need for the Mavericks at the time being, but all that could change this offseason. PJ Washington is extension eligible, and guys like Naji Marshall and Klay Thompson won’t hinder them from drafting a guy they like. We’ll get more intel as we get closer, but it’ll be something to keep an eye on.

Overall results​

11th pick: five times

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...it-happens-week-one-cooper-flagg-dylan-harper

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: Nico Harrison must go, Jason Kidd we’re not so sure about

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Plus first round reaction polling

This week’s Dallas Mavericks centric polling parsed no words. It has two direct questions, with yes or no answers. The results honestly surprised me and while it won’t have any impact on what Dallas Mavericks ownership does moving forward, it’s a fascinating snapshot to see where the fans are of this Dallas team.

The first question ask if general manager Nico Harrison should be fired:

96%! That’s a whole lot of people. I doubt we could get 96% of people to agree on anything. Fans are currently and clearly sick of Harrison’s bad public relations tour where he doubled down on his trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Good luck to him with that, he’s already a joke.

The second question was also direct: Should Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd retain his job?

A slight majority say yes, he should be fired. Nowhere near the numbers of Harrison, and this surprises me. To me, it says that Harrison’s getting most of the blame and Kidd is still pure in the eyes of enough fans (or they think he’s not ultimately responsible for the trade and should still coach).

The national poll this week had more options and is worth taking a look at relative to the odds.

The Lakers are a -118 to win the series per FanDuel and 28% of fans thing they’ll win the series despite losing game one. The Clippers are now a -420 to win versus the Nuggets but when this poll was conducted the Nuggets were up 1-0 whereas now Los Angeles is up 2-1. A fun one might be picking the Houston Rockets, who are +140 still despite the Golden State Warriors missing Jimmy Butler for at least game there.

Brought to you by FanDuel

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...son-must-go-jason-kidd-were-not-so-sure-about

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Luka Dončić stayed longer in Dallas: “He wanted to make sure the community felt the same love he felt for so many years”

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Why did Luka Dončić stick around in Dallas after his homecoming game recently? I asked the Luka Dončić Foundation.

After Luka Dončić’s much awaited homecoming to Dallas on April 9, his first time back in the city after getting traded out of the blue to the Los Angeles Lakers, Dončić didn’t leave with his team after the game.

After the Los Angeles Lakers got the win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers flew back to L.A., but Luka Dončić stayed the night. In Dallas, he hosted parties for patients at Scottish Rite for Children in Dallas and Cook Children’s Health Care System in Fort Worth, through The Luka Dončić Foundation.

ICYMI: The amazing kids and staff of Children’s Cook hospital in Fort Worth have always been a huge inspiration to Luka Dončić.

Upon his return to Dallas today, Dončić and the @LD77Foundation threw a party for the kids and staff that still hold a special place in Luka’s heart.… pic.twitter.com/25mLMLRpI5

— Luka Donkicks (@LukaDonkicks) April 9, 2025​

He also took the time to donate to a dozen GoFundMe pages for local youth teams and athletes. Among others, a Fort Worth girl’s basketball team that needed new uniforms, proper equipment for a soccer team and he helped a teen from Mesquite with NBA dreams of his own pay for AAU basketball, all donations totaling just over $21,000.

But why did the new Lakers star stay in Dallas and make an effort to reach out to the local community? Most superstars would just have tried to move on and focus on their new home.

I asked the Luka Dončić Foundation what it is about the city of Dallas that made him want to stick around and help all these people:

“Dallas will always be special to Luka, and he wanted to make sure the community felt the same love he felt for so many years,” said Luka Dončić Foundation CEO Lara Beth Seager.

“It was meaningful for him to give back during his return to the Dallas community that made him feel at home for many years,” Seager said.

Dončić also donated $500,000 through the foundation to recovery efforts following the L.A. wildfires, just days after arriving in February.

“It’s incredibly important for him to give back to the communities that embrace him,” Seager said, emphasizing how much he appreciates the support he has received from fans both in Dallas and now in L.A.

Back in Dallas, many fans are still mourning the loss of their Slovenian franchise player, and it doesn’t look like Mavs fans will get over the trade any time soon.

What does all of this say about Dončić’s connection to Dallas still? And maybe always? Seager answered:

“Luka will always hold Dallas in a special place in his heart and forever be grateful for the love and passion the city and those fans showed him throughout his time as a Mav.”

And it seems that It’s not just business to Luka Dončić, who’s on to a new city now. When it comes to Dallas, it’s personal:

“Those fans were with him through so much, the support they showed him last week (the homecoming game on April 9) was incredible.”

“They’ve always made him feel like family,” Lara Beth Seager said, underlining the special connection Dončić still feels towards Mavs fans and the city of Dallas.

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...same-love-dallas-mavericks-los-angeles-lakers

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Klay Thompson’s success was not tied to Luka Doncic after all

Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Thompson was expected to be the most adversely affected by the Doncic trade, however his numbers say otherwise

Klay Thompson was arguably the biggest free agent fish the Dallas Mavericks ever landed when he joined the team last Offseason. Touted as the Mavs’ top priority (granted that was only shortly after Derrick Jones, Jr. was touted as the same), there was heavy interest from both sides to form a union. Thompson believed he could be the missing piece to a Mavericks championship, saying “I was watching just as a basketball fan, and I did see, like, ‘Man, I could really help this team. They’re right there.”

Thompson saw what just about anyone else could see. He would absolutely feast on open three-point shots when playing next to the gravity both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving command. Then the unthinkable happened and Luka Doncic was traded. Following shortly thereafter, Kyrie Irving was lost for the remainder of the season and beyond. Most people thought Thompson would suffer the most from the loss of those two players, but the reality may surprise you.

On April 21st we ran a Buyer’s Remorse article which led to a discussion in the comments section. Special shoutout to Mavs Moneyball community members PadrePirate and Doc1977, who prompted this further look into Thompson’s season by way of that discussion.

Thompson logged 72 Regular Season games with Dallas. 26 of those games were played on or before Christmas Day (Doncic’s last game with the Mavs) and 46 were played thereafter. In other words, nearly two-thirds of Thompson’s Regular Season games came without Doncic on the roster. Another important consideration is that Thompson theoretically had more opportunity, purely on the basis of how many other players were injured, later in the season when things got really bad (the stretch where the Mavs could barely field 8 players). With those thoughts in mind, we’ll have a look at how the numbers shook out. The entire month of December will count as part of the “Doncic Era” for simplicity sake.

The Doncic Era​

October (5 games) / November (12 games) / December (11 games; 9 with Doncic)​

PPG: October - 15.6 / November - 12.3 / December - 15.4

3FG%: 38.8% - October / 35.6% - November / 40.0% - December

FG%: October - 43.8% / November - 35.9% / December - 47.0%

The Post-Doncic Era​

January (14 games) / February (10 games) / March (15 games) / April (5 games)​

PPG: January - 13.1 / February - 15.1 / March - 15.4 / April - 9.2

3FG%: January - 43.3% / February - 41.8% / March - 35.3% / April - 40.0%.

FG%: January - 42.4% / February - 41.8% / March - 38.9% / April - 42.5%

Analysis​

PPG: Thompson was very consistent month-to-month throughout the season. Excluding April (we’ll come back to that), he ranged from 12.3 PPG to 15.6 PPG. Interestingly, both came during the Doncic Era.

April was an anomaly. Although he played in the same number of games (5) in both April and October, the actual playing time was vastly different. In October, the least minutes per game he logged was 26:05. In April, the most minutes per game was 29:09. He also had an April game where he played only 12:31.

3FG%: Thompson had his worst shooting from three in the month of March (35.3%), but that effectively washed with the slightly better month of November (35.6%). Other than that, Thompson hit at or above 40.0% in the Post-Doncic Era, with a blazing 43.3% in 14 January games.

FG%: Thompson’s overall shooting percentage was the best by far in the month of December (47.0%), but this followed the worst month by far in November (35.9%). As a result, the overall averages in the Doncic Era and Post-Doncic Era are not that dissimilar.

Looking beyond the slash-lines, there are of course many other statistics of note across the season. Let’s have a look at a few more.

Thompson had a number of potent shooting nights from beyond the arc. There were five games where he attempted at least 9 threes while converting over 55% of them. Those performances include games he went 7-for-11, 6-for-10, 7-for12 and 5-for-9 (twice). Three came in the Doncic Era and two came in the Post-Doncic Era.

Thompson had six games scoring 25 or more points. He scored 25 (twice), 26 (twice), 28 and 29 points. One came in the Doncic Era and five came in the Post-Doncic Era. While this is arguably the most lopsided of all the views we’ve taken thus far, it should be remembered that Thompson inevitably got more looks later in the season when the injury bug hit the team hardest.

Finally, Thompson played five games where he logged 34 or more minutes. Everyone of those games came after Doncic was off the roster. Interesting not-so-fun fact: the Mavericks only got a single win in those five games.

For a player considered by many to be susceptible to injury and likely to fall off with the absence of Doncic, Thompson proved to be a reliable presence and a consistent one at that. This entire analysis stemmed from a previous comments-section discussion, so we of course invite you to chime in and offer up any points that were not covered here.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...success-was-not-tied-to-luka-doncic-after-all

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Harrison said attracting free agents to Dallas is ‘the least of my concerns.’ Here’s why he’s wrong

General manager of the Dallas Mavericks Nico Harrison looks on before the game of the Play-In Tournament against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on April 18, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. | Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison’s end-of-year press conference just keeps on giving.

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison was asked, toward the end of his exit interview press conference on Monday, whether he had any concerns about his ability to attract free agents to the team in the extremely high-profile wake of calamity he’s been swimming through since trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.

Will players this offseason think twice about coming to Dallas after Harrison's cold-blooded late-night trade that seemingly came from out of nowhere? Would they hesitate to join the Mavericks after anonymous team sources trashed Dončić on the way out, and after team Governor Patrick Dumont implied that the five-time All-NBA first-team honoree wanted to vacation his way through his time with the team?

Here was Harrison’s answer on Monday. Despite being visibly uncomfortable for most of the press conference, he was pretty direct in his response to this question.

“Not at all,” Harrison said shortly before scurrying to the nearest exit only to find himself without a key card to open the locked door in the back of the room. “When I first got this job, I was told that the Dallas Mavericks struggled to get free agents, and one of the things I said is that, ‘We’re going to get free agents.’ It’s not just about me — we have hall-of-famer Jason Kidd. We have a bunch of amazing players. You know, Kyrie Irving — people want to play with him. So I think we have a lot that’s in our favor, so I don’t worry about getting free agents. That’s the least of my concerns.”

He also said at various points throughout the presser that he feels the core of a championship-contending roster is already in place in Dallas and that big moves in free agency wouldn’t be required. Rounding out the team behind Irving, who will be on the shelf until at least January 2026 with a recently rebuilt ACL, and Davis would require just a pinch of help from the upcoming NBA Draft and a dash or two from the free agency shaker.

“We’re coming back with what we feel is a championship caliber team,” Harrison said in his answer to the final question of the end-of-year press conference. “And we’ll use the draft, we’ll use free agency to add to that.”

Let’s set aside whether Harrison is living in fantasy land with the candy cane walls closing in on him, with that generous assessment of the room on fire all around him. A couple of recent player polls conducted by The Athletic would seem to suggest that Dallas is not going to be the wildly popular free-agent destination that Harrison thinks he’s cultivated.

The first, released Tuesday, was an anonymous poll of 113 NBA players, asking each of them two questions: which organization is the best, and which is the worst? The Mavericks landed on the “worst” list, gathering 4.4% of the overall vote. That means that five players of the 113 polled thought that Dallas is currently the worst franchise to play for in the NBA. Only the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers got more votes for “worst” franchise in the league than your Mavericks.

The Mavericks are now considered one of the NBA’s worst franchises according to players in the anonymous players survey conducted by @TheAthleticNBA #MFFL pic.twitter.com/0tdX9R8dqi

— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) April 22, 2025​

And we thought, coming into the 2024-25 season, that the Mavericks, with Dončić as the main attraction for incoming free agents, had turned a corner. They signed their first true marquee free agent in Klay Thompson in June 2024, and even if the experiment wasn’t an astounding success on the court in his first of three years, it was a sign that good, big-name players wanted to come to Dallas to play with Luka, whose playmaking abilities give his role players more open shots than anyone in the league.

But if five or so players calling the Mavericks the worst organization in the NBA seems like a flimsy premise, Wednesday provided more fuel to the dumpster fire. In a separate piece from The Athletic where 150 NBA players were asked their opinion of the Luka-for-AD trade, the criticism of the Mavericks’ front office was as loud as it was consistent.

One player reportedly called the deal “one of the worst basketball decisions I’ve ever seen.” Another called it “bad for (Mavs) business. Bad work. Good for the Lakers though.” Some of the most common responses included the words “crazy” and “shocking.”

But these are all opinions we’ve heard since the wee small hours of Feb. 2. They basically match the universal response to the trade. They could have come from any fan Here’s one of the more damning responses vis a vis Harrison’s complete lack of concern surrounding bringing free agents to Dallas after dealing Dončić in the dead of the night.

“I think that s— was idiotic, but I don’t think it was a bad trade. I just think that the way they did it and everything about it was idiotic. I think them shopping the franchise [face] of their organization — for a lot of players who already feel that this is a business [like], ‘the motherf—ers don’t care about you.’ I think it sets an example, like, ‘All right, why should I give a f— about this team if this is how they’re going [to treat me]? I came in here and I was All-NBA, like, five times in six seasons, an MVP candidate, and don’t even get told about none of this.’ I’m like, ‘This organization doesn’t give a f— about me. Why would I give a f— about any organization?’”

How could any free agent targeted by the Mavericks trust anything team management tells them after the way the front office treated Dončić, a singular, generational talent? Harrison is exactly the kind of motherfucker who doesn’t care about the people that work for him or with him.

The Athletic found some players who took more of a “wait-and-see” tack to the trade and even some others who somehow thought the deal would eventually yield good results for both sides. Lots of NBA players like to get really high, too, though.

Then there was this set of responses, which, readers are led to believe came from some of Dončić’s new Laker teammates.

One of them said, “I think it’s phenomenal decision. So smart. Wise. I’m a Nico Harrison fan.” Another said, “Thank you. I love it.”

Mavs Moneyball respects this troll-job if for no other reason than it proves that Harrison has become a punchline across the NBA. Now ask yourself this. All other things being equal, would you choose to work for someone who is a walking joke in your industry? Or someone adept enough to avoid becoming the butt of every workplace joke?

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...-the-least-of-my-concerns-heres-why-hes-wrong