As the Dallas Mavericks continue their disappointing start to the 2025–26 NBA season with a 4–11 record, new reporting has revealed how former general manager Nico Harrison convinced team owner Patrick Dumont to approve a trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The organization fired Harrison last Tuesday following the team’s continued struggles.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Harrison leveraged the Mavericks’ late-season surge in 2023–24 as the basis for selling Dumont on his long-term vision. After trade-deadline deals to acquire Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington — moves made only after a Kyle Kuzma deal fell through — Dallas went 16–4 to close the regular season and ultimately reached the NBA Finals as a No. 5 seed. At the time the acquisitions were made, the team was 28–23 and eighth in the Western Conference.
That finish was enough to persuade Dumont that Harrison had found a winning formula.
“Nico did a hell of a sales job,” one Mavericks official said. “He took credit for everything that was done. When Patrick asked questions — asked how we got Kyrie, how the draft happened, etc. — [Harrison] said he was the guy. We got on a roll and went to the Finals. Fool’s gold.”
Nico Harrison bypassed Mark Cuban, controlled the narrative with Patrick Dumont
Despite Dumont occasionally instructing Harrison to keep Mark Cuban involved in personnel decisions, sources said Harrison often ignored the directive. Communication between Cuban and Dumont reportedly became minimal during the team’s success, while Harrison increasingly isolated himself within the organization. He maintained a direct line to Dumont, which became his source of power.
“Nico built the moat and put up the fence and said, ‘I got this!’” one source familiar with the dynamic said. “Clearly, that was the wrong strategy.”
Sources throughout the franchise believed Harrison provided Dumont with only the information he wanted his boss to hear, not the complete picture — a particularly risky approach with Dumont still new to the NBA landscape.
“The one guy in basketball ops who had a pipeline to Dumont wasn’t giving him the straight scoop,” one team source said.
That internal dynamic ultimately positioned Harrison to push forward with the controversial trade that sent Doncic — a perennial MVP candidate still in his prime — to the Lakers. Rival executives widely viewed the return as poor value, especially in the absence of any trade request from Doncic or indications that he was looking to leave.
Harrison framed Luka Doncic as long-term risk, pitched Anthony Davis as new Mavericks' cornerstone
Harrison constructed his argument from a financial and health-based perspective. With Doncic eligible for a five-year, $345 million supermax extension in the summer, Harrison argued that such an investment would prove costly. He pointed to Doncic’s conditioning, off-court habits, and recurring calf strains as reasons to expect long-term physical decline.
There were also repeated disagreements between Doncic’s camp and Harrison about the handling of his injury recovery. Harrison reportedly portrayed those tensions to Dumont as a sign of Doncic’s wavering commitment to the franchise.
He further placed blame for the team’s five-game Finals loss to the Boston Celtics on Doncic’s defensive deficiencies. Harrison instead pitched a new direction: building the league’s best defense around Anthony Davis, whom Harrison had longstanding ties to dating back to Davis’ teenage years in AAU.
“Defense wins championships,” Harrison said in rare public comments defending the trade.
Harrison emphasized the importance of secrecy, telling Dumont that any leaks could empower Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy, to derail the deal. Looping in Cuban, Harrison warned, could risk exposure. Dumont agreed to keep the negotiations tightly controlled.
“No one else knew. No one else had to know. Dumont bought it, and that was all that mattered,” a source said.
“‘In Nico we trust’ — too much at the end of the day,” another source added, referencing Dumont’s now-infamous quote following the trade. “That quote has come back to haunt [Dumont].”
Doncic thrives with Lakers as Mavs stumble
Doncic has since flourished with the Lakers, leading them to an 11–4 record and the No. 4 seed in the West. He is averaging 34.6 points, nine assists, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game across 11 appearances.
Against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, Doncic tallied 37 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, and four steals while shooting 11-for-22 from the field and 13-for-16 from the free throw line in 34 minutes. The Lakers defeated Utah 140–126 to extend their winning streak to three games.
Los Angeles will face the Clippers (4–10) next on Tuesday at 11:00 p.m. ET on NBC Peacock as part of their ongoing NBA Cup schedule.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks dropped to 13th in the Western Conference following a 120–96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. They begin a three-game homestand with a matchup against the New York Knicks (8–5) on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
