The Dallas Mavericks’ front office is on borrowed time, and the writing may already be on the wall for general manager Nico Harrison. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the team’s struggles have reached a breaking point. On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective, MacMahon didn’t mince words, saying what many around the league have been whispering for weeks.
“At this point, I believe it’s a matter of when, not if, Nico Harrison will be fired. And there’s a very, very strong likelihood that will be midseason. Maybe they can get things turned around, maybe his seat can go from sizzling to a more normal temperature. But, you know, every time I think they’ve hit rock bottom, they find a way to drill deeper… That would’ve been drilling all the way down to Hades. And that’s about how hot Nico’s seat is right now.”
The Mavericks, once viewed as a modern model of stability, have collapsed under the weight of their own decisions, most notably, the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last February. That single move, already being called one of the worst trades in NBA history, has haunted Harrison’s tenure and poisoned nearly every relationship within the franchise since.
Doncic, 25 and entering his prime, has turned the Lakers into contenders overnight, averaging 37.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game, while Dallas has plummeted to 14th in the Western Conference at 3–7.
Behind the scenes, the situation appears even worse. MacMahon confirmed what Marc Stein recently reported, that Harrison’s relationship with team governor Patrick Dumont has ‘completely deteriorated.’ Dumont and the Adelson family, who took control of the franchise last year, reportedly supported the Luka trade as part of a cultural reset. But nine months later, their patience has worn thin.
For Dumont and ownership, the question is no longer whether Harrison can fix things, it’s whether he’s capable of rebuilding trust with fans and the locker room. The answer increasingly appears to be no. League sources have described Dallas as ‘defeated,’ noting a noticeable lack of energy around the organization. Players have privately voiced frustration about the roster’s construction, and the fanbase, once fiercely loyal, has turned almost uniformly against the front office.
The optics are brutal. The Mavericks’ offense ranks near the bottom of the league in points, assists, and three-point shooting, while their pace has slowed to a crawl. Even Dirk Nowitzki, usually diplomatic about team matters, called Dallas’ offense ‘tough to watch’ on NBA on Prime. The once high-powered system built around Luka’s playmaking has been replaced by an aging, injury-riddled unit with no clear identity.
MacMahon’s comments suggest the situation is beyond repair. A midseason firing would give ownership time to stabilize the franchise before the offseason, when they could pursue a new architect for the rebuild. Several names have already circulated privately, including Trajan Langdon, Michael Winger, and Bobby Marks.
Still, it’s remarkable how quickly Harrison’s tenure unraveled. When he was hired in 2021, he was praised as a forward-thinking executive who could blend basketball knowledge with corporate savvy from his Nike background. But after four years marked by questionable trades, alienated legends, and eroded credibility, that optimism has evaporated.
Unless Dallas pulls off a dramatic turnaround soon, it seems that chapter and Nico Harrison’s era will officially close long before the season does.
