After a high-stakes gamble on Luka Dončić, the Mavericks face massive financial woes and a depleted draft pool, forcing a front-office shake-up.
DALLAS — Nico Harrison’s tenure as general manager of the Dallas Mavericks is nearing an abrupt end less than a year after his most aggressive roster overhaul to date.
Multiple team and league sources confirmed Tuesday that Dallas is preparing to move on from Harrison, who took over basketball operations in 2021 and helped engineer the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis. The team is expected to have Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley head basketball operations in the interim.
The decision caps a turbulent chapter for a franchise that bet heavily on star power and is now boxed in by long-term salary commitments and limited flexibility. Whoever steps into the role will inherit a roster with massive financial constraints and minimal draft capital.
Both Davis and Kyrie Irving are under contract through at least the 2026–27 season, each holding player options for 2027–28. Should both opt in, their combined salaries would exceed $105 million that year — a staggering figure that would leave Dallas deep into the luxury tax.
By prioritizing the Davis trade over future assets, Harrison also left the Mavericks nearly barren on the draft front. The team does not control its own second-round pick until 2030, and the 2026 first-rounder stands as its only unencumbered selection before 2031.
The timing of the front office shake-up coincides with mounting fan frustration and the team’s latest collapse on the court.
On Monday night, the Mavericks squandered a 13-point fourth-quarter lead in a 116–114 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 15 of his 30 points in the final period, while Ryan Rollins’ driving layup with 17.9 seconds remaining gave Milwaukee the lead for good.
Kyle Kuzma punctuated the rally with a dunk off a late steal after Cooper Flagg — Dallas’ 18-year-old No. 1 overall pick — slipped near the 3-point line. Down three, P.J. Washington drew a foul on a desperation heave but missed his second free throw. His intentional miss on the third was tipped by Moussa Cissé but recovered by Bobby Portis Jr., sealing the defeat.
Flagg led the Mavericks with a season-high 26 points in one of his most assertive outings yet. Brandon Williams added 19 in his first start of the season.
When Washington’s final free throw clanged off the rim, boos turned into chants of “Fire Nico” echoing through American Airlines Center — a sentiment that now appears to be reality.
Dallas played without Anthony Davis for the sixth consecutive game due to a strained left calf. Head coach Jason Kidd said pregame that Davis is “making progress” but offered no timetable. The Mavericks also remained without Dereck Lively II, who missed his eighth straight contest with a right knee sprain.
The loss dropped Dallas further down the Western Conference standings and underscored the mounting pressure on a franchise at a crossroads — one built to contend but saddled by injuries, inconsistency, and front-office turmoil.
The Mavericks host Phoenix on Wednesday night amid the uncertainty, with their future direction once again in question.