The 2025 NBA playoffs may be underway, but that hasn’t shifted people’s attention from the Dallas Mavericks’ unprecedented decision to trade away Luka Doncic. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison has, and continues to receive a great deal of flak for trading the face of the franchise.
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It would’ve been easy for Harrison to fold under the criticism and heat for trading Doncic. Instead, he has taken every opportunity to double down on the thought process behind moving on from the homegrown Slovenian superstar.
Harrison cited a renewed emphasis on defense as the reason. He believes defense wins championships, so the team sought out Anthony Davis. Former Magic star Penny Hardaway has given Harrison flowers for the courage and confidence he has shown to stick to his decision both before and after the blockbuster trade.
Hardaway believes people seem to have forgotten how great Davis is when he is fully fit. He praised Harrison and reminded everyone of Davis’ potential to dominate the opposition.
“Nico stood on what he believed in,” Hardaway said on the OGs Podcast. “We know [Anthony Davis] is as talented as anyone. We are not disrespecting AD at all.”
Harrison remained confident and optimistic regarding the future of the Mavericks. His energy and optimism have been surprising, inspiring even, considering the team’s injury struggles. First with AD. And now, star point guard Kyrie Irving’s torn ACL, which will force him to miss most of next season.
Although the injury setback has shaken Dallas’ hopes of making a run for the championship, it doesn’t affect Harrison’s faith that they can get it done. Hardaway revealed how impressed he is with Nico for that reason.
“That takes a lot… Obviously, we are not on the inside, but that takes a lot to trade Luka, man,” added Hardaway. “And I do say that if that group is healthy, with Kyrie healthy, and everyone else healthy, that group is going to make the Western Conference Finals.”
Hardaway wasn’t the only former NBA player to come to Harrison’s defense. Golden State Warriors legend Mitch Richmond took the unpopular path, too.
Richmond defends Harrison
Richmond believes that Harrison took the fall on behalf of the ownership’s decision. “When you’re a GM, you have to take that hit. Because the owner is gonna put it on you, even though he’s making the decisions,” he said.
“When you make a big decision like trading Luka, you know you had to talk to someone and someone had to pull that trigger,” Richmond added.
Fans have already trained their torches and pitchforks toward Harrison, but Richmond believes he is simply a pawn. Considering the magnitude of the trade and its impact, Richmond firmly believes this decision wouldn’t happen without the ownership’s approval.
Harrison, however, took the blame for the most shocking trade in NBA history and has become the most hated man in Dallas. Nonetheless, he will attempt to put the Mavericks back to being the team they were in 2023–24 with this new core.
