The Dallas Mavericks have entered a new era under new ownership, but it appears the transition has also surfaced long-standing frustration within the organization. According to reporting from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, former general manager Nico Harrison has privately pointed to former owner Mark Cuban as the root of several costly mistakes that set the franchise back. With the Mavericks trying to build a more stable foundation, these revelations shed light on the tension that had been brewing for years.
“Harrison blamed Cuban for what he believed were the Mavs’ biggest personnel mistakes during his tenure, which came in summer 2022: allowing Jalen Brunson to get away in free agency and trading for Christian Wood,” wrote MacMahon. “Several members of the coaching staff and front office also faulted Cuban for those moves.”
Behind the scenes, Harrison made it a priority to reshape the organizational structure once the team changed hands. Establishing a more streamlined chain of command became central to his approach, and he sought to build a direct working relationship with new owner Patrick Dumont instead of operating through Cuban, as he had during his first two seasons.
“Harrison prioritized developing a relationship with Dumont after the franchise was purchased. Harrison connected with his new boss by speaking a corporate language of sorts, emphasizing the importance of establishing a clear chain of command by reporting directly to Dumont instead of through Cuban, which he had done for the previous two seasons. Nico basically said, ‘Dude, I don’t want to deal with Mark anymore. He’s too much,’ one team source said.”
The Mavericks won their only championship in 2011 under Mark Cuban’s watch. Years later, he directed the organization to trade up for Luka Doncic, swapping Trae Young in a blockbuster point guard deal. It was one of several major moves for Cuban, but not all of them panned out.
He famously lost Jalen Brunson (28.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 0.8 steals per game on 46.7% shooting this season) in the summer of 2022 after refusing to commit to a long-term extension. He also let Christian Wood walk a year later, essentially dismantling the core that helped Dallas reach the Western Conference Finals in 2022.
These decisions gave Nico Harrison the justification he needed to push Cuban out of the basketball operations process, and the rest is history. Had Mark never sold the team, Luka would probably still be in Dallas today. Then again, had Cuban provided the support Luka needed while he was still there, things might have turned out very differently.
In the end, nobody involved with the Mavericks is completely blameless for the Luka trade. Everyone played a part, but Harrison happened to be the one steering the ship. He gave the orders and silenced anyone who argued with his vision.
Today, with Harrison fired, the regret over what Dallas lost still lingers. The damage is irreversible now, and the resulting chaos has put every Mavericks veteran on the trade block.
For the team to regain any sense of stability, they will need a clear direction and a leadership structure that avoids the mistakes of the past. The fallout from these decisions may linger for years, but this new era gives Dallas a chance to finally reset its identity. Whether they can recover from the turmoil remains to be seen, but the spotlight is squarely on the franchise to prove it can move forward.
