2 Nico Harrison expects replacements to emerge

Dallas Mavericks release Nick Harrisonas ESPN’s Shams Charania was among the reporters at the start share the news. Harrison traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers nine months ago for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. Patrick Dumont and the Mavs seemingly realized the trade was far from ideal, and as a result made the decision to move on from the general manager. So who will replace Harrison in the meantime?

In the long term, the Mavs will surely either bring in a new general manager or announce an internal permanent replacement for Harrison. For now, it appears that the team leaders are Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi will work together to serve in the role, according to Charani.

“The Mavericks and Patrick Dumont have meetings at 10:30 a.m. CT to name CEOs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi to lead basketball operations in the interim, sources tell me and Tim McMahon,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Fine is a former NBA player who spent part of his career in Dallas with the Mavs. An All-Star player, he enjoyed a strong career in the league. Finley has continued to work in basketball since retiring as a player. He is currently the Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Personnel.

As an assistant GM, Finelli was the obvious choice to help replace Harrison in the interim.

Riccardi also serves as an assistant GM, as the Mavericks have two people in that position. He often assists in day-to-day operations with the team. Along with Finley, Riccardi will help replace Harrison as the Mavs’ GM in the meantime.

A new chapter for the Mavericks

Harrison had a good reputation in Dallas before the Doncic trade. The previous season, he acquired Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington before the trade deadline. The moves worked extremely well, giving Dallas some much-needed depth in the midst of their run to the NBA Finals. Although the Mavericks fell short in the championship — losing to the Boston Celtics in five games — the future was bright in Dallas.

Harrison completely ruined his reputation by not only trading Doncic, but also by moving Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caleb Martin – a move that backfired on the Mavericks. Of course, Luke’s decision gets the most attention and that’s what particularly frustrated the fans.

It will be interesting to see if Finley and Ricciardi make any notable moves. The Mavs are currently 3-8 overall, but the team has enough talent to turn things around if they can get healthy. However, Anthony Davis, Derek Lively II and Kyrie Irving are among the players currently battling injuries. Davis could be back soonhowever.

It will be an uphill battle for the Mavs. The long-term outlook remains promising with Cooper Flagg on the roster. However, leaving Harrison won’t bring Doncic back. Luka would be the face of the franchise for years, but Harrison’s decision erased any hope of that coming to fruition.

However, the Dallas Mavericks — as currently constructed — will move on and begin a new chapter after Harrison’s firing. There will be no more “Fire Nico” chants at the American Airlines Center, so maybe players can get back to focusing on basketball and limiting outside noise.

The Mavericks next game is scheduled for 8:30 PM EST in Dallas against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.