Nico Harrison's Tenure as Dallas Mavericks GM: A Report Card
Nico Harrison's journey to becoming the general manager and president of basketball operations for the Dallas Mavericks is an interesting one. Born on December 28, 1972, in Seattle, Washington, Harrison is the son of Steve and Christie Harrison (née Martinez) and was the fourth of their five children. His early life was split between Spokane, Washington, and Tigard, Oregon, after his parents divorced when he was five years old. Although he played both American football and basketball as a child, he shifted his focus solely to basketball in ninth grade. After going undrafted by the NBA after graduating from Montana State, Harrison first played professionally for the Leuven Bears in Belgium in the 1996-97 season. Harrison played for the Black Hills Posse of the International Basketball Association (IBA) during the 1997-98 season where he averaged 8.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 21 minutes. He then played two years for the Hitachi Honsha Rising Sun in Japan from 1998 until 2000.
Following the end of his playing career, Harrison moved back to Oregon, where he took up a job as a pharmaceutical sales representative. In 2002, a friend informed him of an open position at Nike as a regional field representative for the NBA. Harrison applied and was hired, moving to Dallas, Texas, where the job was based.
Harrison's appointment on June 28, 2021, marked a new chapter for the Mavericks, succeeding Donnie Nelson. During his initial seasons, the Mavericks experienced a mix of success and controversy, reaching the conference finals twice and even the NBA Finals in 2024. However, a significant trade in 2025 sent shockwaves through the organization and the fan base, leading to intense scrutiny of Harrison's performance.
High School and College Career
Harrison struggled with injuries during his junior and senior seasons in high school, and West Point was the only school that continued to recruit him. In his freshman year of college in 1991, Harrison averaged 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for the Black Knights. After one year at West Point, Harrison transferred to Montana State University. Due to NCAA transfer rules, Harrison was required to sit out of the 1992-93 NCAA season. In three seasons with the Bobcats between 1993 and 1996, Harrison averaged 12 points, 2.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. In his senior year in 1996, Harrison averaged 13.7 points per game and helped lead the Bobcats to the NCAA tournament, where they were eliminated in the first round by Syracuse 88-55. Harrison was selected to the first team All-Big Sky Conference in each of his three years with the Bobcats. Harrison graduated with a degree in biological and medical sciences and was a two-time Arthur Ashe Jr.
Key Transactions Under Harrison
Harrison's tenure has been marked by a series of significant trades and signings, aimed at improving the Mavericks' roster. Here's a timeline of notable transactions:
Read also: UCLA Football Pay Analysis
- July 31, 2021: Traded Josh Richardson to the Boston Celtics for Moses Brown.
- August 9, 2021: Signed Tim Hardaway Jr.
- August 18, 2021: Signed E.J. Onu.
- October 15, 2021: Signed E.J. Onu.
- December 23, 2021: Signed Charlie Brown Jr.
- February 10, 2022: Traded Kristaps Porzingis and a 2022 2nd round draft pick to the Washington Wizards for Davis Bertans and Spencer Dinwiddie.
- June 23, 2022: Selected Wendell Moore Jr. (1st round, 26th pick) in the 2022 NBA Draft.
- June 23, 2022: Traded a 2024 2nd round draft pick and a 2028 2nd round draft pick to the Sacramento Kings for Jaden Hardy.
- June 24, 2022: Traded Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss, Boban Marjanović and Wendell Moore Jr. to the Houston Rockets for Christian Wood.
- September 20, 2022: Signed D.J. Stewart.
- December 26, 2022: Signed A.J. Lawson.
- February 6, 2023: Traded Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2027 2nd round draft pick, a 2029 1st round draft pick and a 2029 2nd round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris.
- July 12, 2023: As part of a 3-team trade, the Dallas Mavericks traded Reggie Bullock and a 2030 1st round draft pick to the San Antonio Spurs; the Dallas Mavericks traded a 2025 2nd round draft pick and a 2030 2nd round draft pick to the Boston Celtics; the Boston Celtics traded Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks; the San Antonio Spurs traded a 2024 2nd round draft pick to the Boston Celtics; and the San Antonio Spurs traded a 2025 2nd round draft pick and a 2028 2nd round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks.
- July 14, 2023: Signed Mike Miles Jr.
- February 8, 2024: Traded Seth Curry, Grant Williams and a 2027 1st round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets for P.J. Washington, a 2024 2nd round draft pick and a 2028 2nd round draft pick.
- February 8, 2024: Traded Richaun Holmes and a 2024 1st round draft pick to the Washington Wizards for Daniel Gafford.
- February 8, 2024: Traded a 2028 1st round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2024 1st round draft pick.
- July 6, 2024: As part of a 6-team trade, the Dallas Mavericks traded a 2031 2nd round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers; the Dallas Mavericks traded Josh Green to the Charlotte Hornets; the Charlotte Hornets traded a 2025 2nd round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks; the Charlotte Hornets traded cash to the Denver Nuggets; the Denver Nuggets traded Reggie Jackson, a 2029 2nd round draft pick and a 2030 2nd round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets; the Denver Nuggets traded a 2025 2nd round draft pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves; the Golden State Warriors traded Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks; the Golden State Warriors traded cash and a 2031 2nd round draft pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves; the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Kyle Anderson to the Golden State Warriors; and the Philadelphia 76ers traded Buddy Hield to the Golden State Warriors.
- July 6, 2024: Traded Tim Hardaway, a 2025 2nd round draft pick, a 2028 2nd round draft pick and a 2028 2nd round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons for Quentin Grimes.
- October 10, 2024: Signed A.J. Lawson.
- February 2, 2025: As part of a 3-team trade, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers; the Los Angeles Lakers traded Max Christie, Anthony Davis and a 2029 1st round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks; the Los Angeles Lakers traded Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2025 2nd round draft pick to the Utah Jazz; the Utah Jazz traded cash and a 2025 2nd round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks; and the Utah Jazz traded cash to the Los Angeles Lakers.
- February 4, 2025: Traded Quentin Grimes and a 2025 2nd round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caleb Martin.
The Luka Dončić Trade and its Fallout
The trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 is arguably the most significant and controversial decision of Harrison's tenure. In exchange for Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris, the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The Lakers also sent Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2025 second-round pick to the Utah Jazz, with the Jazz sending cash and a 2025 second-round pick to Dallas.
The trade was met with overwhelmingly negative reactions from Mavericks fans and the media. Public response included death threats directed at Harrison, as well as "Fire Nico" chants, fan-made merchandise, and social media remarks for months after. The Mavericks organization subsequently ejected from the arena those chanting, holding up signs, and wearing shirts of "Fire Nico", leading to increased protest. These chants were also heard at unrelated sports games, a St. Harrison also responded, "I did know that Luka was important to the fan base.
Critics argued that the Mavericks had just made the NBA Finals the previous season with a team built around Dončić, making the trade seem illogical. Some analysts described it as "malpractice" and "the least explainable trade in NBA history." The trade sparked widespread outrage, with fans expressing their discontent through various channels, including social media campaigns, merchandise, and even a billboard calling for Harrison's firing.
Post-Trade Performance and Draft Lottery Luck
After the Dončić trade, the Mavericks would end their season in the play in against the Memphis Grizzlies. Despite the negative fallout from the trade, the Mavericks unexpectedly won the NBA draft lottery with just a 1.8% chance, landing the first overall pick. This stroke of luck allowed them to select Cooper Flagg, a highly touted prospect with "future MVP potential."
Some argue that Harrison is receiving too much credit for the Mavericks landing Flagg, as it was largely a matter of chance. While Flagg's arrival offers hope for the future, it doesn't necessarily absolve Harrison of criticism for the Dončić trade.
Read also: College Football NIL Impact
An Imperfect GPA: Evaluating Harrison's Offseason
Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey graded each general manager's offseason on a GPA scale and gave Harrison an "A" for the Draft. "You might ask why the Mavs get an A for simply winning the lottery against monumental odds and then taking the consensus top prospect," Bailey wrote. "And it'd be fair for you to do that. But the fact that Dallas emerged from draft night with Cooper Flagg, a player with future MVP potential, gets them the automatic high mark."
Harrison doesn't deserve credit for the Mavericks landing Flagg. He had no way of knowing that they would jump up from 11th to 1st on a 1.8% chance on the night of the Lottery. And he shouldn't be praised for taking the obvious best player in the class, even if they needed a guard more.
That wasn't the only thing that Harrison was given a grade on, as he was given a D+ for "new additions" because of the Luka Doncic trade and for the only major addition being D'Angelo Russell, and he was given a B+ for "Continuity." That brought him to a GPA of 2.9, which is a passing grade.
"The headline suggests this analysis is limited to this offseason, but we can't avoid the fact that the Dallas Mavericks made the least explainable trade in NBA history back in February, especially when their most notable offseason acquisition (outside the draft, of course) was D'Angelo Russell," Bailey further explained. "The veteran journeyman is a solid playmaker and scorer, but he's long been considered a dreadful individual defender.
Challenges and Criticisms
Beyond the Dončić trade, Harrison has faced other challenges and criticisms during his tenure. Some analysts have pointed to the Mavericks' dysfunction and injuries as contributing factors to their struggles. The acquisition of Kyrie Irving, in particular, has been scrutinized, with some suggesting that Harrison set Irving and the Mavericks up to fail.
Read also: From Recruit to Bruin: Iamaleava's Path
