The Dallas Mavericks are wasting no time in charting a new direction after firing general manager Nico Harrison, the executive who will be remembered as the man who traded away Luka Dončić before he reached his prime.
The question now gripping the franchise: who will take the reins of basketball operations in the wake of one of the most controversial moves in team history?
Dennis Lindsey Linked to Mavericks’ Top Job
According to Dallas-based NBA insider Marc Stein, a familiar face has emerged as a frontrunner to replace Harrison. Stein reported that some within the Mavericks organization are pushing for the return of Dennis Lindsey, the former Harrison adviser who currently serves as the top aide to Detroit Pistons decision-maker Trajan Langdon.
“There has already been a push among some of the organization’s influential voices to try to bring back former Harrison adviser Dennis Lindsey from the Detroit Pistons,” Stein wrote Tuesday in his Substack newsletter. “Dallas is first putting assistant GMs Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley in co-interim charge after Harrison’s departure while embarking on an external search to secure the best long-term replacement.”
Lindsey, 56, is credited with helping guide the Mavericks to their unexpected run to the 2024 NBA Finals, serving as a behind-the-scenes mentor to Harrison during his tenure in Dallas.
Lindsey’s Quiet Influence in Dallas
After the Mavericks lost Jalen Brunson to free agency in 2023, the team brought in Lindsey — a former Utah Jazz general manager known for building the Donovan Mitchell–Rudy Gobert era — to stabilize the front office and provide strategic oversight.
His imprint was felt almost immediately. Under Lindsey’s advisory role, Dallas made a series of savvy basketball decisions, including drafting Dereck Lively II, trading for P.J. Washington, and signing Dante Exum — all key moves that propelled the Mavericks to their Finals run last season.
Getty The Dallas Mavericks heeded their fans as they fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday.
But once Lindsey departed for Detroit this year, the Mavericks’ decision-making appeared to regress. Harrison’s tenure ended after a string of misfires and the disastrous Dončić-for-Anthony Davis trade that alienated the fan base and triggered repeated “Fire Nico” chants inside American Airlines Center.
Critics Pin the Mavericks’ Collapse on Harrison
Former Mavericks executive and analytics pioneer Haralabos Voulgaris was one of Harrison’s harshest critics in the aftermath of the trade.
“If you think defense wins championships and you want to be three centers deep on your roster — and play AD at the 4 while forcing P.J. [Washington] to guard 3s, Klay [Thompson] to guard 2s, and Kyrie [Irving] to guard 1s, good luck with that,” Voulgaris wrote on X after the trade. “The Mavs now have one player on their roster who can create a shot for himself or others — Kyrie — and he’s about to turn 33.”
Voulgaris later added, “Dennis Lindsey was with the Mavs last year and is a great basketball mind. He left to work for the Pistons this season. Do with that what you will.”
Mavericks’ Offense Collapses Without Dončić
Voulgaris’ warning has proven prophetic. The Mavericks currently have the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA and sit near the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 3-8 record, ahead of only the struggling New Orleans Pelicans.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Luka Dončić has ignited the Lakers to an 8-3 start, leading the league in scoring with 37.1 points per game to go along with 9.4 rebounds and 9.1 assists — reaffirming his status as one of the NBA’s generational talents.
Lindsey’s Rising Stock in Detroit
Lindsey’s stock, meanwhile, continues to soar. In his second season in Detroit, he has helped architect a stunning turnaround. The Pistons currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings at 9-2, second only to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in overall league record.
If Dumont heeds the calls within his organization, Lindsey’s return could symbolize both a course correction and a bid to restore credibility after a turbulent year that fractured the fan base.
For now, Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley will oversee the Mavericks’ day-to-day operations while owner Dumont leads the external search.
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