Luka Doncic and his camp made a decision in the best interest of his health. But Nico Harrison decided enough is enough.
The Luka Doncic trade is still one of the most baffling decisions in NBA history. Why would a franchise trade away a generational talent for next to nothing?
Well, those answers lie with Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. And unfortunately, Harrison refuses to answer questions unless it’s behind closed doors.
Harrison seemingly gave his reasons for the trade: defense wins championships. But with the season ending in a whimper for the Mavericks, Nico Harrison might not have his job for long.
But with all that said, why, after a three-year tenure, did Harrison finally pull the trigger on the trade? Well, it appears it came down to a seemingly benign request from Luka Doncic’s camp.
According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, as the Dallas Mavericks neared Luka Doncic’s return date from a calf strain, they asked him to join the team on a five-game road trip starting on January 31st.
However, Doncic’s camp asked if he could stay back and focus on recovery. This upset the Harrison, as he wanted Luka to ramp up his on-court activity and not ‘hold the team back.’
“Another major disagreement emerged between the sides when Doncic refused Harrison’s request to join the team on a five-game trip leading up to his target return date.”
“Harrison griped that Doncic was holding the team hostage, sources said. Doncic’s camp argued that he was better off having around-the-clock access to the Mavs’ practice facility than traveling with the team.”
“Harrison countered, insisting that Doncic needed to scrimmage. Doncic’s camp, in response, said he’d be happy to practice with the G League Texas Legends in Frisco, a Dallas suburb.”
“The next time Doncic’s camp heard from Harrison, it was to share the news that the trade he’d been secretly negotiating for weeks with the Lakers was finalized.”
Doncic made a compromise that seemingly worked for everyone. The next time he heard from Harrison and the Mavs, it was about being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
It appears Doncic’s insistence on staying back and focusing on his recovery the right way irked Harrison. This call became the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.
In the weeks after the trade, the Mavericks put out several negative reports about Luka Doncic and his fitness. Luka recently responded to this tactic, lamenting the treatment he has received.
One man’s decision has secured another man’s job. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka was offered an extension and promotion thanks to the Doncic trade, and many feel Nico Harrison is responsible for this.
And given the way things have shaken out, Harrison is likely to be let go soon. Normally, fans don’t celebrate front office members losing their jobs. But Mavericks fans will be elated to see Harrison go.
