In blunt fashion, Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison had no regrets about trading Luka Doncic during a restricted press conference on Tuesday. However, he received pushback from Mavericks fans who still hold him in contempt for the blockbuster Doncic and Anthony Davis trade in February.
When asked why the Mavericks didn't receive more compensation, Harrison provided a confusing response per Tim Cato of DLLS Sports.
“It's a great question. Our whole time, we wanted a two-way player. AD was at the top of our list… We had an opportunity to move quietly without interference.”
Who knows what that means? But it was part and parcel of a longstanding saga that only adds more questions than it does answers.
Since the trade, Harrison has been the scapegoat and has felt the wrath of Mavericks fans. The rallying cry of “Fire Nico” has galvanized fans, and the organization has offered refunds to those who cancelled their season tickets in protest.
As a result, Harrison's job is rumored to be in danger. Whatever happens, he will not soon find his way out of this dark abyss.
The public relations nightmare continues for Nico Harrison




It is not just the trade that has angered fans and perplexed experts; it is how Harrison handled the matter. The press conference added fuel to the fire regarding how it was structured.
Harrison and Mavericks CEO Rick Welts decided to host a closed-door roundtable where only certain media were invited. The invite was sent out within 24 hours and only 15 media members were present in the media room at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The “press conference” reportedly started with brief remarks followed by a Q&A session. Also no cameras or recording devices were permitted.
A transcript was sent out to the selected media members.
This only added to the frustration among Mavericks fans who feel as though Harrison in particular is not well equipped to handle the fallout and has to be secluded. This come as the Mavericks have been dealt a rash of injuries and barely making the NBA Play-In tournament.
It looks like that things can actually go down from here.