DALLAS — It was a beautiful night in Dallas on Wednesday as I left the American Airlines Center after covering the Dallas Mavericks' game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The overall mood from the fans who were leaving the game did not match the night's atmosphere, however. It almost felt somber leaving the arena following the Mavs' 101-99 loss to the Pelicans — a defeat that dropped Dallas' record to 2-6 on the season. Then, a familiar chant began to break out outside the arena.
“Fire Nico! Fire Nico!”
Only a couple of fans were chanting it, as it was late and many others were surely tired. However, I saw a number of people nod and smile in agreement with the chant. After the game, someone even told me Mavericks contests aren't “fun” anymore.
Nine months ago, general manager Nico Harrison and the Mavericks shocked the NBA world by trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and one first round pick. Davis is currently injured, Christie is playing fairly well, and the first round pick will be a 2029 selection. Meanwhile, Doncic is enjoying playing with the Lakers and Los Angeles currently holds a 7-2 record.
It's easy to look at social media and automatically assume there is no shortage of frustration from Mavericks fans. Social media does not always represent real life, however. In this specific scenario, though, many Mavericks fans who attend games remain left feeling upset by what occurred nine months ago.
Doncic was not only a terrific player — he was the face of the franchise. Some fans are tired of the conversation and want to focus on this year's team. Heck, I'll probably receive some DMs from fans telling me to move on just for writing this article. I can't ignore what I saw on Wednesday night, though.
An extremely dedicated and passionate fanbase was dealt an unfortunate blow by the Mavericks' front office in early February of 2025. Although most fans still want to support the team, it is proving to be difficult as the 2025-26 Mavs sit tied for last place in the Western Conference while Doncic's Lakers are only one game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place.
Not much has changed in the nine months since the deal came to fruition. Cooper Flagg joining the team provides fans with hope, but he's an 18-year-old rookie and still has plenty of room to improve. Davis is an All-Star, but his injury history is difficult to ignore. He's already battling injury trouble early in the new campaign.
Fans are hopeful that the 2025-26 team can turn things around, but there is unquestionably a different feel around the Dallas Mavericks this season following the Luka Doncic trade.
