To much fanfare, the Dallas Mavericks parted ways with general manager Nico Harrison. However, not everyone hoped the door would it him on the way out.
Would you rather be a role-player on the Dallas Mavericks or Charlotte Hornets? Even after Nico Harrison traded away Luka Doncic, nuking any chance the Mavericks had of making it back to the NBA Finals, their future is brighter than the Hornets'.
Cooper Flagg has more promise than LaMelo Ball, especially on defense. Dereck Lively II is a better player than any of the Hornets' big men, and Dallas, even after the Doncic trade, is a more attractive free agent destination than North Carolina.
The Mavericks have history and legends they can lean on as they rebuild. The same can't really be said for the Hornets.
Why bring up Charlotte? Well, in 2024, Harrison flipped Seth Curry, Grant Williams, and a 2027 1st round draft pick for PJ Washington. After the trade, Washington became a key member of a very successful Mavericks trade. If it wasn't for Harrison, Washington could still be seeking his playoff debut, languishing on a bad team.
Instead, he has replaced Klay Thompson as the Mavericks' best supporting player and is one of only a few players not expected to be traded by the new front office regime. Up until trading Doncic, Harrison actually did a decent job of building a winning roster around the Slovenian superstar, and the additions of Gafford and Washington were two of his better moves, resulting in a 2024 Finals appearance.
While Harrison ruined the team that Washington joined in 2024, Harrison is to thank for getting Washington there in the first place.
"I thank Nico for what he did for me," Washington said on Wednesday. "He believed in this group, so do I. I texted him to thank him, and just went about our business."
Very professional, very boilerplate answer from Washington, although he could have said that "fans got what they wanted," or something else less diplomatic than that.
He did get one shot in: "Hopefully, everybody starts cheering now, and be quiet in free throws."
Last season, Washington did make it clear that he was sick of the "fire Nico" chants booming throughout American Airlines Center. One way or another, he got his wish: the general manager is no longer there.
While firing Harrison likely brings a degree of peace to the franchise, there is still a lot of work to do. Washington has cemented himself as a key cog for the Maveircks, but Flagg is the only player truly safe from an organizational shuffle.