The Dallas Mavericks are yet to hire a general manager to replace the disgraced Nico Harrison, instead opting to run the team by committee.
As our very own Mike Fisher put it, "the stench remains." The Dallas Mavericks made the unsurprising move to fire general manager Nico Harrison ten months after he traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fiuring Harrison was the right move, but the damage can't be undone.
With recent productive play from Anthony Davis and excellent stretches from rookies Cooper Flagg and Ryan Nembhard, the Dallas Mavericks seem to be bouncing back from their massive mistake. At least the future is bright.
Weirdly, they have yet to name a replacement for Harrison. Michael Finley is serving as interim general manager, although no one has assumed the mantle without a temporary title.
In the meantime, Patrick Dumont, Jason Kidd, Mark Cuban, and Finley all seem to have an equal say.
The catch? They seem to be thriving without a general manager in place. Maybe this is the way forward.
Of course, as the trade deadline and 2026 NBA Draft roll around, having a final decision-maker call the shots is important. It can't be Dumont. He's not a basketball mind, but returning to previous eras of success should be key. Cuban? Finley? All names to watch.
Perhaps Dumont wants to make sure he's rid the team of any Harrison "yes me." If that's the case, maybe some self-reflection is required, but that's a whole different article.
For now, the Mavcericks can stay the course, but that won't always be the case. One league insider reported that the hunt has begun, but is far from over.
"Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont has indeed begun gathering information on potential candidates to be Harrison’s long-term replacement," wrote Marc Stein. "Dumont is comfortable in the short term with the idea of getting through the regular season with a committee approach."
So far, the committee hasn't really been tested. Dallas hasn't made a waiver move or a trade, although the team has been included in several rumors.
Everyone on Dumont's "committee" is on the same page: build the team with Flkagg's best long-term interests at heart. Of course, everyone may have a different idea of what that could look like.
Having a steady, guiding hand when tough decisions need to be made is a must. Cuban might want to be that guy, but he no longer has a massive financial stake in the team. Perhaps someone with a basketball history makes more sense. Finley could be a front-runner, but free agents like David Griffin or Masai Ujiri could be possible reclamation projects as the Mavericks continue to rebuild.