The Dallas Mavericks’ front office turmoil reached its boiling point when the organization fired general manager Nico Harrison, ending a chaotic tenure defined by the controversial trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers and fractured the franchise. But the move did not come without pressure from familiar voices inside the organization.
According to multiple reports, minority owner Mark Cuban and head coach Jason Kidd played key roles in convincing team governor Patrick Dumont that Harrison had lost control of the Mavericks. Cuban, who still owns roughly a quarter of the team, had grown increasingly frustrated after being pushed out of basketball operations when he sold his majority stake to the Dumont and Adelson families in late 2023. ESPN reported that Cuban had been lobbying Dumont for months to make a leadership change, arguing that Harrison’s decisions, most notably the Dončić deal, had set the franchise back years.
Kidd also reportedly clashed with Harrison over the roster’s direction. The two disagreed on player rotations early this season. Ultimately, Kidd’s choice to rely on untested guards underscored the divide. Kidd’s leverage only grew last summer when Dallas extended his contract after both the Knicks and Lakers showed interest in hiring him. That extension gave the coach more security than anyone in the front office. In the end, that ensured his influence in any organizational shake-up.
Who will lead the Mavericks after Nico Harrison's exit?
For now, assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi will handle day-to-day operations. However, Cuban has already pushed for former Utah Jazz executive Dennis Lindsey, now with the Detroit Pistons, to take over. Dumont has yet to commit. However, his recent meetings with Cuban suggest the longtime owner’s voice is again being heard in Dallas.
Harrison’s dismissal marks an attempt to reset a franchise that has stumbled to a 3-8 start amid injuries to Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Kidd remains firmly in place. But Cuban’s growing involvement could reshape the Mavericks once more. After years of internal division, Dallas faces a defining moment as it searches for unity and a way forward.
