The Dallas Mavericks made a bold front office move that should appease the majority of their fan base, but was it the right move?
Dallas officially fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, nine months after he stunningly traded superstar guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in a move that sent shockwaves throughout the NBA and angered a large portion of the Mavericks’ fan base.
To put it lightly.
Despite Dallas’ productive offseason, which included shockingly landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which it used to select consensus top prospect Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks have been abysmal to start the 2025-26 NBA season, going 3-8 through the team’s first 11 games, which prompted fans to chant “Fire Nico!” with the general manager in attendance for Monday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
However, Warriors forward Draymond Green explained on the latest episode of his “The Draymond Green Show” podcast, which was recorded before Dallas fired Harrison, why it might not be the right time to make such a move.
“When stuff is going wrong, everyone is quick to jump and try to pounce on it and that’s just what people do in this business,” Green said. “Quite honestly, the team that Nico has placed his bet on, and I say that no pun intended, but the team he’s constructed to go win a championship hasn’t been on the court. Nobody assumed Kyrie Irving would tear his ACL. [Anthony Davis] started off with the eye [injury] as of late. The team hasn’t really been out there.”
Trading Dončić, understandably, was not received well by Mavericks fans and those around the league, but Green believes, on paper, Harrison was able to construct a team led by Irving, Davis and Flagg that, when healthy, could be competitive and that Harrison deserved to see his plan play out this season.
“I find it weird that everybody’s just like Luka’s playing great, everybody was s–tting on Luka last year,” Green added. “Now Luka’s playing great and everybody wants to take that opportunity to s–t on Nico because Dallas is playing bad. But it’s not apples to apples. The team he constructed to be out there isn’t out there.”
“Y’all just want to go point the finger at Nico because that was a storyline, now let’s make that a storyline again. That s–t is whack to me. So next year, that full team that Nico intended to be out there, and they have success, then what? … They have great pieces. So let’s see it all together before we yell ‘Fire Nico.’ Let’s see if it actually works. Because if it works next year, what are y’all gonna say?”
While Harrison will not be able to see his plan play out as general manager, Green believes that if the Mavericks eventually have success this season, and in the near future, the former executive deserves his flowers.
Despite some truly impressive performances from newcomer Dan Vladar, the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves in a situation similar to what transpired in the previous two seasons.
Sam Ersson, who has clearly lost a greater share of the crease to Vladar, has again been plagued by injury, and has again not performed all that well in respect to raw statistics or relative expectations.
Ersson, 26, was beaten thrice on just 14 shots on goal in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, conceding two goals on six shots in the first period alone.
Some magic from Matvei Michkov and a goal from Jamie Drysdale helped earn the Flyers a point in the loss, as Ersson was tested only seven more times across the second and third periods.
So, while he did ultimately settle in, fans are quickly growing tired of the Swede and his continued injury struggles and average performances.
For the year, Ersson is 2-1-2 but owns a porous 3.03 GAA and .866 save percentage, with the latter ranking 66th in the NHL amongst 73 total goalies.
And, among the goalies who can be considered true NHL regulars, only Joel Hofer, Jordan Binnington, Sam Montembeault, and Calvin Pickard have been worse.
The problem, at least for the Flyers, is that goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov has played well enough to say that he's legitimately earned the chance to have a real look at the NHL level.
The Belarusian appeared in two games with Ersson on the shelf, going 0-1-0 and posting a 1.61 GAA and .929 save percentage.
In fairness, 26 saves on 28 shots across two games isn't the greatest sample size, but Ersson is 103 for 119 on the season.
To match that, Kolosov would have to go 77 for his next 91, which equates to a .846 save percentage. The 23-year-old wasn't even that bad last season, and he looks better and worlds more comfortable this year.
Piggybacking on the last point, Kolosov is playing in the AHL this year, as many thought he wouldn't, and he's excelling.
In six games, Kolosov is 4-2-0 with a 2.50 GAA, a .918 save percentage, and his first shutout on North American ice.
Kolosov's .918 save percentage ranks 10th amongst AHL goalies with at least five games played this season, below prospects like Sergei Murashov and Drew Commesso and above the likes of Erik Portillo, Jacob Fowler, and Devon Levi. In other words: exactly where he should be considering his relative lack of experience playing on this side of the world.
Both Ersson and Kolosov are in contract years and will be restricted free agents at the end of the season, end if the Flyers decide that Ersson isn't the future or that they can only keep one player, we can expect Kolosov to get another long look, especially now that he appears to have improved significantly.
Kolosov is also the younger option, and his absence from the AHL ranks won't be too considerable. Fellow prospect Carson Bjarnason, 20, is holding up just fine with his 3-1-2 record, 2.52 GAA, and .918 save percentage.
The longer this current trend continues at the NHL level, though, the more likely these changes become reality.
Angels star Mike Trout, right, speaks with Torii Hunter, center, and Jered Weaver, left, before the Angels' 2024 home opener against the Boston Red Sox. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
Trout National does not formally open until April. But, when you’re Mike Trout, you can invite your friends to play a couple rounds on the course that carries your name.
And so it was that Trout, the best player in Angels history, last week welcomed Torii Hunter, one of the most popular and respected players in Angels history. The course, designed by Tiger Woods and his team, is located in Trout’s hometown of Millville, N.J., and includes a refueling stop in “a concrete bunker tucked behind the 14th tee and styled like a classic baseball dugout.”
Said Hunter: “It’s a great course.”
Hunter could have managed his former teammate next season, had the Angels chosen him to replace Ron Washington. However, for the second time in three years, the Angels interviewed Hunter for their managerial vacancy and then hired someone else — this time, former Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki.
Hunter, speaking Monday at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast before a fundraiser for Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton, said he interviewed with Angels general manager Perry Minasian.
Hunter said he believed Suzuki would do well in the position and had no hard feelings about the process.
“It was a great interview,” Hunter said. “We had a good talk. It just didn’t work out.
“The opportunity presented itself. They were looking for a manager, and they decided to interview me for the job. They told me to.
“I still love the Angels. That’s why I did it. That's why I wanted to do it.”
He felt the same way about his original team, the Minnesota Twins. He said he “put my name in the hat” for the Twins’ managerial vacancy and had informal discussions with the team, but no formal interview.
Hunter declined to discuss details of his interview with Minasian.
The Angels have baseball’s longest playoff drought, now at 11 years, and have finished in last place in back-to-back seasons. Hunter said prospects need to get to Anaheim and start playing with the young players already there.
“I think those guys have got a couple of years under their belts,” he said. “It’s time to go out there and really compete.”
The Angels’ minor league system is widely regarded as one of baseball's thinnest. Hunter, who worked as a special assistant to Minasian last season, said he sees a fair amount of talent at the lower levels of the system.
“Maybe they don’t win the World Series next year,” Hunter said. “Maybe they don't go to the playoffs.
“A shift in the team dynamic depends on the pieces that they add. But, in the next two years, you’re going to see these guys, and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
Hunter said he is unsure yet whether his business interests — he owns five restaurants and two coffee shops, in addition to commercial real estate investments — will allow him to continue as an Angels special assistant. He hopes to do so.
“I love Kurt Suzuki,” Hunter said. “I played with him with the Twins in 2015, and I played against him forever. I love everything about him. I would love to be there to help him along the way if I can.”
Suzuki agreed to a one-year contract, which puts him in the uncomfortable position of being a lame duck before he manages his first game.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Hunter said. “You’ve got to give him time, and a chance to get to know the fellas. The guy is smart, he’s intelligent, he’s got great relationship skills. So, be patient.”
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.
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.
The veteran All Black duo both grew up on dairy farms and may not have flourished in English rugby’s rigid system
This week’s column is being compiled slightly differently. It’s not easy to type while looking upwards and smiling warmly at the bookshelf but, hey, that’s the price to be paid for method sportswriting. When you’re putting together a piece on Damian McKenzie, the All Blacks’ so-called “smiling assassin”, it’s important to try to get into character.
The head bandage took time to apply as well, as did the fake-blood drizzle of ketchup down the cheek. Anyone who watched the later stages of New Zealand’s win against Scotland on television on Saturday, however, will appreciate why the extra touches felt appropriate. It is not every day a player preparing to kick the clinching points in a major Test resembles a happy, beaten prizefighter.
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.
Running it back. Three words Phillies fans are tired of hearing.
The Phils have reached the postseason for four straight years, and for four straight years, they’ve come up short. They shocked everyone with a run to the 2022 World Series, only to fall to the Astros in six games. When a core stays together that long – and produces a similar ending each October – change becomes expected.
Yet 15 players on the 2025 Opening Day roster were also on the 2022 team. It’s a battle-tested group, but the results are stale.
Even after a 96-win season, urgency hangs over the franchise because of one unavoidable obstacle in the National League:
The Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell – their star power feels endless, especially after winning back-to-back World Series titles.
In 2024, their rotation fell apart with injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Emmett Sheehan. It didn’t matter. They slugged their way to a championship.
In 2025, the script flipped. This time, the Dodgers were healthy but their bats went cold. Again, it didn’t matter. Yamamoto carried them. He made five postseason starts, threw two complete games – the first pitcher to do that since 2001 – and posted a 1.45 ERA. After throwing 96 pitches in Game 6, he still came out of the bullpen in the Game 7 finale and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings. World Series MVP was an automatic for the second-year right-hander.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski put it bluntly when asked about L.A. at the end-of-season presser:
“The Dodgers have a really good club … We battled them, and I think we’re in the same neighborhood – but we didn’t beat them and we have work to do in order to do that.”
Now, it’s clear. If the Phillies want to win a championship, the path runs directly through Los Angeles – the team that eliminated them in the NLDS this past season.
So how do they change their identity? It’s challenging to pinpoint, but there are a number of options the Phillies could pick from.
Starpower: Ketel Marte
Credit: Denis Poroy – Imagn Images
On Monday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Diamondbacks are “motivated” to trade three-time All-Star Ketel Marte.
He’s coming off another elite year in Arizona, slashing .283/.376/.517 with 28 doubles and 28 homers in 126 games. It marked his third straight season with at least 25 home runs, 60 walks and 70 RBIs. The 32-year-old has cemented himself as the best at his position.
The switch-hitting Marte is the kind of hitter who changes a lineup overnight. In 2025, he posted an .891 OPS vs. lefties and .893 vs. righties, offering zero platoon vulnerability. His contract is just as appealing: six years left (player option in 2031), roughly $19 million AAV and only $28 million over the next two seasons.
Trading for him wouldn’t prevent the Phillies from spending elsewhere – including a potential Kyle Schwarber reunion.
He’s performed against the team that matters. Marte has a career .290 average and .804 OPS versus the Dodgers. And over the last two seasons, he’s slashed .321/.418/.560.
He’s also been a standout performer in October. In 21 postseason games, he’s hit .344 with a .974 OPS and 13 extra-base hits.
Acquiring Marte would take real capital. The deal starts with one of Aidan Miller or Andrew Painter plus infielder Bryson Stott, who is under control through 2027. It would be uncomfortable, but it’s a move that could change everything for the Phils.
Shuffle the pieces and add
Credit: Bill Streicher – Imagn Images
Bryce Harper has been at the center of conversation this offseason – both for production and for where he plays. Dombrowski made one thing clear after questioning Harper’s “elite” status during his media session: he views Harper as the first baseman going forward.
But if Harper moved back to right field, everything opens up. And if defense is the concern for a 33-year-old Harper in the outfield, the Phillies just played 33-year-old Nick Castellanos out there – who posted a league-low -12 outs above average.
Returning Harper to the outfield gives the Phillies the freedom to chase a middle-of-the-order bat at first base.
Pete Alonso should be the first call.
Alonso tallied 264 homers and 712 RBIs in seven seasons with the Mets. Drop that kind of production behind Harper and pitchers have no escape route. And if the Phillies brought back Schwarber too?
A top four of Trea Turner, Schwarber, Harper and Alonso truly gives you a solid chance against Los Angeles in a playoff series.
The championship window isn’t closed – but it’s not open forever. If the Phillies want to win with this core, adding another star or two to Harper and Turner is how you do it.
Lean into the youth
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel – Imagn Images
Miller, Justin Crawford and Painter could push their way to the majors in 2026 and the Phillies might just open the door.
Dombrowski hinted that they could force their way onto the roster. “There will be some people we’re open-minded to being with our big-league club next year coming out of spring training,” he said. “Justin Crawford is one of them. Painter’s another one… I wouldn’t even preclude Aidan Miller from being that type of guy.”
Miller, 21, put together an .864 OPS with 43 extra-base hits and 59 steals in 2025. He’s only played shortstop in the minors, but if the Phillies view him as an option at second or third, it gives them flexibility to move either Stott or Alec Bohm – who enters his final year of arbitration.
Crawford brings contact and speed the Phillies haven’t had in their outfield. He hit .334 with 46 steals last season. The Crawford-Miller combination introduces something this core could use more of: true athleticism.
Painter remains the biggest wild card. After missing two full seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, he returned in 2025 with command issues. But his stuff hasn’t gone anywhere. A fastball that touches triple digits with that size and extension isn’t common, and the Phillies know it.
There’s another arm quickly rising: Gage Wood. Their 2025 first-round pick threw a no-hitter in the College World Series and struck out 69 batters in 37 2/3 innings in his final year at Arkansas. He could make his way to the majors.
Leaning into youth could also mean acquiring young, controllable talent at a position of need – like catcher. That could include Baltimore’s All-Star Adley Rutschman, Seattle’s top catching prospect Harry Ford or prospects Carter Jensen and Blake Mitchell in Kansas City.
New blood doesn’t eliminate offseason splash moves. It complements them. And it could force evolution in Philadelphia.
Dombrowski summed it up best. “We have a good club with a lot of good players, but you don’t have unlimited [funds] … We will be open-minded to get better and make moves.”
The Dodgers aren’t slowing down and the Phillies can’t either.
Whether it’s starpower, restructuring the roster or giving the youth a chance to start, standing still isn’t an option — not when the team you’re chasing keeps hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy.
The second week of the 2025-26 season will feature two rivalry games among the seven games between AP Top 25 teams. No. 12 Louisville and No. 9 Kentucky have had one of the sport's fiercest rivalries through the years and it will continue on Tuesday in Louisville. The Cardinals made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years in their first season under coach Pat Kelsey a year ago and are off to fast start with a revamped roster.
Baylor coach Nicki Collen knew her team could be something special this year even before the Bears went to Paris to tip off their season against Duke last week. After a win over the Blue Devils, the Bears moved up nine spots to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 this week, but the work was done in the offseason. Baylor players spent a lot of time this summer bonding and playing basketball.
