Dirk Nowitzki, the greatest player in Dallas Mavericks history, publicly addressed the organization’s decision to fire general manager Nico Harrison, offering a candid and emotional reaction to the franchise’s turbulent past year.
Speaking on Amazon Prime’s NBA telecast, where he now serves as an analyst, Nowitzki said the organization waited too long to make the move.
“I think there’s just too many distractions, too much going on to keep going this way,” Nowitzki said. “This move should have probably happened this summer, honestly. I didn’t want this negative energy and this black cloud over the Cooper Flagg era, but here we are now.”
Harrison was dismissed after a 3–8 start to the season, with fan outrage reaching a boiling point during home games.
Harrison Will Be Remembered for Controversial Luka Dončić Trade
GettyFormer general Manager Nico Harrison of the Dallas Mavericks looks on against the Los Angeles Lakers.
A former Nike and NBA executive, Harrison became the center of one of the most controversial front-office decisions in Mavericks history when he traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers last February—months after Dončić led Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Nowitzki acknowledged what many Mavericks fans have voiced since the blockbuster trade: disbelief and lasting frustration.
“This fanbase is passionate and loyal,” Nowitzki said. “I knew they weren’t going to just get over it. They are extremely passionate, and this trade just made no sense. It made no sense to them and really, there was no explanation for it.”
Nowitzki added that Dallas had spent years building a roster tailored to Dončić:
“You go to the Finals the year before, you give up all these assets to build the team around Luka… The team was built around him.”
Dončić’s Trade to the Lakers Created a Rift Between Nowitzki and the Mavericks
Dončić, widely hailed as Nowitzki’s successor and the franchise’s next generational star, was dealt to the Lakers at just 25 years old. The move was so shocking that it contributed to Nowitzki distancing himself from the organization.
Instead of attending Mavericks events, the Hall of Famer traveled to Los Angeles to be present for Dončić’s debut in a Lakers uniform.
“It was very sad,” Nowitzki said. “It was very sad how that ended and the fans feel like they got robbed of actually seeing the end—seeing this through, seeing Luka develop into hopefully a champion one day. They never got to see it.”
Nowitzki: Mavericks Must “Move On” and Start Rebuilding
Despite lingering disappointment, Nowitzki urged Mavericks fans and the organization to turn the page.
“This was very heartbreaking, but now, I think it’s time to move on,” he said. “Focus on this team, on this franchise. This definitely set the franchise back, but now it’s about building it back up.”
He added that the current roster, led by No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, needs stability and strong support from fans as the organization rebuilds.
“This team is struggling a bit,” Nowitzki said. “It needs all the support it can get. Hopefully, we can have a good year from now on and cheer the team up.”
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