The Dallas Mavericks have gotten off to a 0-2 start to this 2025-26 season following a 117-107 loss to the Washington Wizards at American Airlines Center on Friday. The Mavericks blew a 14-point lead in this double-digit loss, and their fans started chanting “Fire Nico” in the closing stages to make it clear they want general manager Nico Harrison gone.
“FIRE NICO” chants in Dallas. 😬
(via @NickVanExit)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 25, 2025
The Mavericks are supposed to be in win-now mode, but they have been one of the more disappointing teams at the start of this campaign. The San Antonio Spurs blew them out 125-92 in their opener, and they have now lost to a Wizards team that is expected to be one of the worst in the NBA. According to the fans, much of the blame for the current situation falls on Harrison’s feet.
Harrison has been a hated figure in Dallas since he traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025. The “Fire Nico” chants broke out at various points last season, and it has taken just two games into the new one for them to return.
Harrison kept talking about how “defense wins championships” after trading Doncic, and the team currently has a 115.8 defensive rating, which ranks 21st in the NBA. Things certainly aren’t going the way he thought they would, and the decision to ship the Slovenian out of town is looking worse by the passing day.
Doncic may not have helped improve that defense, but he certainly would have elevated this team offensively. The Mavericks’ 95.2 offensive rating is the worst in the NBA by a mile, as no other team is even under 100. This is a small sample size, of course, but the early signs are not good.
While the Mavericks are floundering on offense, Doncic is putting on a show for the Lakers. He followed up a 43-point outing in their season opener against the Golden State Warriors by recording 49 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Mavericks certainly could do with having a weapon like him among their ranks.
Jason Kidd On The “Fire Nico” Chants
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was asked about the chants and the frustration level of the Mavericks fans postgame. Kidd made it clear the fans have the right to air their frustration, but urged them to be patient.
“I think they have a right to vent,” Kidd said, via Noah Weber. “This is a different team, this is a new team. We’re just getting to understand each other, we’re gonna keep learning each other. I would say be patient, but I understand the frustration, we all want to win. We all want to compete at a high level. This is a game of expression, and the fans have a right to express themselves…”
The fact that the Mavericks won the draft lottery and got to select Cooper Flagg had somewhat lessened the blow of Doncic’s departure. There was a lot of excitement over what Flagg could offer, and he’s gotten off to a solid, but unspectacular start.
Flagg had 18 points (6-14 FG), five rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block against the Wizards. It wasn’t a bad showing, but he hasn’t made the kind of splash yet that you might have expected.
Add in the fact that Anthony Davis, who was the big piece they got in the Doncic trade, hasn’t looked like his dominant self either, and you get why Mavericks fans are so frustrated. There is still plenty of time, of course, for the team to turn things around.
The Mavericks are in action next against the Toronto Raptors at American Airlines Center on Sunday at 7:30 PM ET. That’s also a game they should win and expect the chants to break out again if they don’t.
