Sources: Mavericks fire general manager Nico Harrison

dallas mavericks General manager Nico Harrison has been fired following a meeting with team governor Patrick Dumont on Tuesday morning, sources told ESPN.

Assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Ricciardi are being promoted to lead the Mavs’ basketball operations department on an interim basis, sources said.

Dumont plans to explain his reasoning for the decision in a letter to team fans on Tuesday, a source said.

Harrison comes under criticism from Mavericks fans after being surprisingly traded luka doncic till Los Angeles Lakers On February 2, the then-25-year-old five-time first-team All-NBA selection was a few months removed from leading the franchise to a berth in the NBA Finals.

that businessin which dallas received anthony davis, max christie And the 2029 first-round pick in return prompted fan protests outside the American Airlines Center on the night of the deal and before the team’s next home game. That anger never ended, like “Fire Nico!” The slogans have often been heard at the team’s home matches, including Monday night’s loss to milwaukee bucks,

Dumont sat courtside during Tuesday’s game, his first appearance since the season-opening loss San Antonio SpursThe Mavs blew a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and fell to 3–8, dropping from second to last place in the Western Conference.

Dumont, whose family bought the majority of the franchise From Mark Cuban in December 2023, he signed off on the trade after Harrison convinced him that signing Doncic to a supermax contract extension due to the then-injured superstar’s persistent conditioning concerns. Dumont has since privately admitted regrets about the deal.

Dallas had a record of 182–157 during Harrison’s four-plus-year tenure, highlighted by runs in the 2022 Western Conference Finals and 2024 NBA Finals. The Mavs were 135–88 in regular season games in which Doncic played during that time and 47–69 otherwise.

Immediately after the trade, Harrison said this The deal improved the Mavs’ chances of winning a championship.Stating that the franchise will have three to four years to compete.

“Defense wins championships,” Harrison said, a phrase he repeated several times in media availability in and around the end of last season to justify the deal.

Davis, a 10-time All-Star who was out with an abdominal injury at the time of the injury, has played in only 14 regular season games and a few play-in appearances for the Mavericks.

After Harrison’s criticism, Davis returned to play in the February 8 game against the Mavs. Houston RocketsFirst home game after the trade. He dominated the first half, but suffered an adductor strain – an aggravation of his abdominal injury – in the third quarter, which kept him sidelined for the next six weeks.

Davis has Missed last six games due to left calf strainFive of which the Mavs lost. Sources said Davis wanted to return over the weekend, but Dumont sided with members of the Mavs’ medical staff, who were adamant that Davis should proceed out of caution.

dallas star guard kyrie irving faced one torn acl His season ended in early March, and There is no timetable set for his return this season,

Mavs battled injuries and fall out of playoff picture after trade memphis grizzlies In the final Western Conference play-in game. An incredible stroke of luck in the NBA Draft Lottery, cashing in on 1.8% odds to claim the No. 1 overall pick and the right to draft cooper flagProvided some hope for the future of the franchise.

However, Dallas’ poor start and the continued anger of the fans ultimately sealed Harrison’s fate.