Category: Basketball

With team in the cellar, Mavs fire GM Nico Harrison 9 months after Luka trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Dallas Mavericks confirmed they fired general manager Nico Harrison during a scheduled meeting with team governor Patrick Dumont on Tuesday morning, confirming recent rumors of a change in the front office.

ESPN insider Shams Charania announced the team’s plan to fire Harrison and replace him in the interim with executives Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi. The team confirmed the interim placements and said a comprehensive search will begin for a permanent general manager.

“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that delivers for our players, our partners, and most importantly, our fans,” said Dumont of Harrison’s firing.

Harrison had been the team’s GM and president of basketball operations for the last four seasons, which included two trips to the Western Conference finals, a trip to the NBA Finals and the unforgettable blockbuster trade that led to fans screaming for his ouster.

Nine months ago, Harrison traded superstar Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The backlash was swift and unrelenting. For months after the trade, disenchanted Mavericks fans protested the trade and chanted “Fire Nico” at every opportunity.

In April, at the season-ending press conference, Harrison said he stood by the deal but didn’t realize how much fans loved the 26-year-old Slovenian.

“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison said. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.”

Harrison said in April that he’d hoped the team he put together, which included Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II, would be improved by the addition of Anthony Davis from the Lakers. Because of injuries, that team never really materialized, and the Mavs fell flat.

Even after winning the lottery for the No. 1 draft pick and selecting Cooper Flagg, the Mavs are among the worst teams in the NBA and are ranked second to last in the Western Conference with a 3-8 record (2-5 at home) and five straight losses, including Monday night’s 116-114 loss to Milwaukee where fans renewed the chants calling for the team to “Fire Nico.”

The Mavericks’ next game is at home against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.

With team in the cellar, Mavs fire GM Nico Harrison 9 months after Luka trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Dallas Mavericks confirmed they fired general manager Nico Harrison during a scheduled meeting with team governor Patrick Dumont on Tuesday morning, confirming recent rumors of a change in the front office.

ESPN insider Shams Charania announced the team’s plan to fire Harrison and replace him in the interim with executives Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi. The team confirmed the interim placements and said a comprehensive search will begin for a permanent general manager.

“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that delivers for our players, our partners, and most importantly, our fans,” said Dumont of Harrison’s firing.

Harrison had been the team’s GM and president of basketball operations for the last four seasons, which included two trips to the Western Conference finals, a trip to the NBA Finals and the unforgettable blockbuster trade that led to fans screaming for his ouster.

Nine months ago, Harrison traded superstar Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The backlash was swift and unrelenting. For months after the trade, disenchanted Mavericks fans protested the trade and chanted “Fire Nico” at every opportunity.

In April, at the season-ending press conference, Harrison said he stood by the deal but didn’t realize how much fans loved the 26-year-old Slovenian.

“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison said. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.”

Harrison said in April that he’d hoped the team he put together, which included Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II, would be improved by the addition of Anthony Davis from the Lakers. Because of injuries, that team never really materialized, and the Mavs fell flat.

Even after winning the lottery for the No. 1 draft pick and selecting Cooper Flagg, the Mavs are among the worst teams in the NBA and are ranked second to last in the Western Conference with a 3-8 record (2-5 at home) and five straight losses, including Monday night’s 116-114 loss to Milwaukee where fans renewed the chants calling for the team to “Fire Nico.”

The Mavericks’ next game is at home against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.

With team in the cellar, Mavs fire GM Nico Harrison 9 months after Luka trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Dallas Mavericks confirmed they fired general manager Nico Harrison during a scheduled meeting with team governor Patrick Dumont on Tuesday morning, confirming recent rumors of a change in the front office.

ESPN insider Shams Charania announced the team’s plan to fire Harrison and replace him in the interim with executives Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi. The team confirmed the interim placements and said a comprehensive search will begin for a permanent general manager.

“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that delivers for our players, our partners, and most importantly, our fans,” said Dumont of Harrison’s firing.

Harrison had been the team’s GM and president of basketball operations for the last four seasons, which included two trips to the Western Conference finals, a trip to the NBA Finals and the unforgettable blockbuster trade that led to fans screaming for his ouster.

Nine months ago, Harrison traded superstar Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The backlash was swift and unrelenting. For months after the trade, disenchanted Mavericks fans protested the trade and chanted “Fire Nico” at every opportunity.

In April, at the season-ending press conference, Harrison said he stood by the deal but didn’t realize how much fans loved the 26-year-old Slovenian.

“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison said. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.”

Harrison said in April that he’d hoped the team he put together, which included Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II, would be improved by the addition of Anthony Davis from the Lakers. Because of injuries, that team never really materialized, and the Mavs fell flat.

Even after winning the lottery for the No. 1 draft pick and selecting Cooper Flagg, the Mavs are among the worst teams in the NBA and are ranked second to last in the Western Conference with a 3-8 record (2-5 at home) and five straight losses, including Monday night’s 116-114 loss to Milwaukee where fans renewed the chants calling for the team to “Fire Nico.”

The Mavericks’ next game is at home against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.

For once, Luka Doncic had to serve the punishment. For not hitting any half-court shots during his pregame warmup, Doncic had to drop to the court and give his coaching staff pushups.

The exercise seemingly powered him up for the two-handed dunk to come.

Doncic dazzled in the Lakers’ 121-111 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday at Spectrum Center, scoring 38 points with seven assists, six rebounds and one emphatic third-quarter dunk to help the Lakers flush the memories of a blowout loss in Atlanta.

LUKA DUNKČIĆ pic.twitter.com/7zhLcXrBkk

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 11, 2025

Austin Reaves returned from a three-game absence with 24 points and seven assists while Rui Hachimura scored 21 points with perfect three-for-three shooting from three-point range.

Reaves, who was out with a right groin strain, announced his presence by throwing a lob up to Deandre Ayton for the Lakers’ first basket. After Charlotte (3-7) blitzed the Lakers with eight made three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 40-36 lead, Reaves answered by scoring seven of the Lakers’ first 10 points in the second. He gave the team a jolt of energy by racing for a transition layup to beat the halftime buzzer, giving the Lakers (8-3) a two-point lead.

"He's an All-Star-level player,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “He's, along with Luka, an incredibly dynamic offensive player. I think our depth increases, the lineup optionality increases, so not having him in the lineup really, really hurts us.”

The Lakers went 2-1 in games without Reaves, but the 20-point loss to Atlanta on Saturday was so striking that Redick was left questioning the identity of his team. The Lakers looked lifeless. Redick waved the white flag by the middle of the third quarter after the starting unit let the deficit balloon to 25.

With Doncic and Reaves back, the Lakers wouldn’t repeat their third-quarter woes.

The Lakers started the second half with an 11-4 run that forced the Hornets to call a timeout. Reaves then assisted a three-pointer from Hachimura that pushed the lead into double digits. Doncic hit a stepback three to put the Lakers up by 12. Doncic’s assist to Hachimura extended the lead to 17.

A driving, two-handed dunk was the exclamation point, stunning the Charlotte crowd as he hung on the rum and screamed. With two dunks this season, he already doubled his total from last year.

Read more:Bronny James shows his improvement for shorthanded Lakers

Doncic assisted a Reaves three with 8:01 remaining in the fourth quarter and Reaves put up his arms and threw his head back in relief. He had missed his first seven three-point attempts and finished two-for-10 from three-point range.

Reaves’ return gets the Lakers one player closer to their full roster. LeBron James is scheduled to practice with the South Bay Lakers this week as he progresses through his return from right sciatica.

Rookie Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) is also nearing his return as Redick estimated the forward could make his NBA debut during this road trip, which continues Wednesday at Oklahoma City and ends with a back-to-back in New Orleans on Friday and Milwaukee on Saturday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.