As the Dallas Mavericks move on from former GM Nico Harrison, Hall of Fame Dirk Nowitzki didn't hold back in how he felt about the team's firing. For Nowitzki, it should have happened sooner.
Either way, the Mavs' Hall of Fame forward believes it was the correct decision, following last season's Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, which for Nowitzki, was an awful move, he said, per NBA on Amazon Prime.
“There [are] just too many distractions. Too much going on to keep going this way,” Nowitzki said. “This move probably should have happened this summer, honestly. I didn't want this negative energy and this black cloud over the Cooper Flagg era. But here we are, now. I just knew. I figured this fanbase has a passion. It's a loyal fanbase. I was lucky enough to experience it for 21 years, and I knew they wouldn't just get over it, as people say, or forget about it.
“They're extremely passionate, and this trade just made no sense. It made no sense to them and really, there was no explanation for it, either. You go to the Finals the year before. You give up all these assets, really, to build around Luka, with some 6'9″ wings, can switch, and guard for him. You had two lob threats with Gafford and Lively, and the team was built around him.”
Nowitzki said the Mavericks added size and shooting after Dallas' appearance in the NBA Finals in 2024, but never got a chance to see it come together in the postseason, adding to the frustration of Mavs fans.
“You added Klay, which the shooting was a bit of an issue in the Finals against the Celtics. So, you did all of this, they started the following season well, going into Christmas Day game,” Nowitzki added. “They were 14-3 out of the last 17 games. So, they're just starting to hit their stride, and Luka gets hurt, and unforunately, that's the last game he's ever played in a Mavs uniform.
“It was very sad. It was very sad how that ended. The fans felt like they got rob of actually seeing the end, seeing this through, seeing Luka develop into, hopefully, a champion one day. And it feels like they never got the chance to see the end to this. This is very hearbreaking,” Nowitzki concluded.
"It's time to move on now."
Dirk Nowitzki on the Mavs firing GM Nico Harrison. pic.twitter.com/8J9MvksVdm
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) November 14, 2025
Dirk Nowitzki says firing GM Nico Harrison was best for Mavericks
Hall of Fame forward Dirk Nowitki says moving on from former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison is critical for the team, which needs all the support it can get. For Nowitzki, trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers set the franchise back, following an NBA Finals appearance in 2024.
“This definitely set the franchise back,” Nowitzki said. “But now, it's about building it back up, and obviously, this team is struggling a bit. It needs all the support it can get. Hopefully, we can have a good year here from here no, and cheer the team up.”
The Mavericks will host the Clippers in an NBA Cup game on Friday.
