Nico Harrison Says Luka Trade Backlash Surprised Him

Nico Harrison admitted he didn’t foresee the backlash he would get for trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers in February. 

Speaking to the media for his exit interviews a week after doing a roundtable with reporters without allowing cameras, the Mavericks general manager said he wasn’t expecting the vitriol that has followed the trade, which has included ‘Fire Nico’ chants at games and part-owner Mark Cuban’s own disapproval. 

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

Harrison threw the NBA and its fans for a loop when he traded Dončić and Maxi Kleber to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future first-round pick in February having never put his franchise player on the trade block publicly. The trade return drew scorn for what was widely seen as a light return a year after Dončić had Dallas in the Finals.

The oft-stated reasoning behind the trade was “defense wins championships,” citing Davis’ elite rim protection and implying that Dončić was lacking on that end. But Harrison and the team never got to see his vision come to fruition. Davis suffered an adductor injury two quarters into his team debut and star guard Kyrie Irving tore his ACL shortly afterward. 

Several role players got hurt as well, and the Mavericks became so low on players they flirted with a forfeit. They ultimately got healthy enough to make the play-in, where they lost to the Grizzlies. 

While speaking for roughly half an hour, Harrison answered a number of other questions:

• He said he wasn’t ordered to trade Dončić by team governor Patrick Dumont. “A really good leader doesn’t tell people what to do,” he said. 
  
• There was no particular inciting incident. “There wasn’t a straw that broke the camel’s back,” Harrison said. “It was more about the change of philosophy. How can we get a top defensive team to win us a championship?”
  
• Harrison said he hasn’t trashed Dončić after being asked about his comments in an ESPN interview where Dončić said, “I never say anything bad about him.” Harrison responded, “I feel the same he does. I’ve never spoken ill of Luka at all.”

Harrison remains optimistic, despite the young and cap-challenged roster and the fact that Irving will be out until at least 2025 rehabbing his knee.

“You’ll see next year when our team comes back our team will be competing for a championship,” he said.