DALLAS - After a brutal start to the 2025–26 NBA season, things couldn’t look much worse for the Dallas Mavericks. ... except for a not-fond farewell to an unwanted suit.

Following a most recent loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the team has stumbled to a 3–8 record through its first 11 games. Mavericks fans voiced countless ideas for how the team can turn things around, with their top demand finally coming true.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has been fired.

Fans have anticipated this move for nearly a year, expressing their frustration through the relentless “Fire Nico” chants that have echoed throughout the American Airlines Center.

And why?

The outcry stems largely from Harrison’s highly controversial decision to trade away the team’s cornerstone and face of the franchise, Luka Dončić, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and a package of additional players on February 1st.

The move shocked the basketball world and will go down as one of the most polarizing trades in NBA history.

Or, more frankly, maybe the worst trade in NBA history.

So ...

What's next?

Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are sharing the interim GM job. 

Pistons exec Dennis Lindsey has ties here.

And for God's sake will somebody please call Dirk Nowitzki and apologize for Nico's mindless slights of the best thing to happen to Dallas sports since Roger Staubach?

For many, there is one clear common denominator behind all the  issues that went south, and yet parting ways with Harrison is only the first step toward rebuilding trust.

The Mavericks have long been known for having one of the most loyal fanbases in the NBA. Through highs and lows, Dallas fans have filled the seats and backed their team. But this year, that loyalty has been tested like never before. Ticket sales have plummeted, and the Mavericks recently ended their 24-year streak of consecutive sellouts—a stunning development for one of the league’s most passionate markets.

Those still attending games made their feelings known.

“Fire Nico” chants have become a fixture at home games, often drowning out team introductions and free throws.

And it’s hard to blame the fans. In just a few months, they lost nearly everything: a Finals-contending roster, their franchise player, and, perhaps most painfully, their trust in the organization. Harrison has shown little remorse for his decisions, offering only a string of controversial soundbites.

Quotes like “fortune favors the bold” and “it was all part of the plan” — particularly after the team lucked into drafting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick despite just a 1.8% lottery chance — only fueled the frustration.

To many, Harrison’s remarks came off less as confidence and more as arrogance, brushing off the heartbreak of a fan base still trying to make sense of it all.

One viral moment captured the tension perfectly. During the season opener against San Antonio, a Mavericks fan wearing a Lakers Luka Dončić jersey was spotted courtside flipping off owner Patrick Dumont in frustration. According to the fan, his father later told him to apologize the next time he saw Dumont.

When the two eventually spoke, they reportedly shared a genuine conversation about the team’s future. The fan claimed Dumont told him he “took responsibility” for the trade and vowed to “make it up to us.”

Now, with Harrison’s firing, Mavericks fans can finally rejoice knowing their voices have been heard. The players can return to playing in front of a supportive home crowd, free from the negativity that’s hovered over the arena for months. And when Dallas takes the floor for its next home game on tonight, the energy at American Airlines Center is expected to be electric once again.

The season is still young, and the Mavericks face an uphill battle to recover from their rough start. But for many fans, this moment already feels like a victory—not because of wins and losses, but because the franchise is finally listening.

Still ... "what's next'' is what matters most.