Stephen A. Smith Says Draymond Green Is “Unfair,” Defends the Media ‘Crushing’ Nico Harrison Over Luka Doncic Trade

No matter how many days pass, the Luka Doncic trade still feels hard to wrap your head around. Many have already labeled it one of the most lopsided deals the NBA has ever seen. The move could have set the Dallas Mavericks back for years if they had not lucked into the No. 1 overall pick and used it on Cooper Flagg.

Dallas, for their part, has tried to turn the page. They moved struggling Anthony Davis, who came over in the deal, and also parted ways with GM Nico Harrison.

When the trade first went down, Harrison quickly became the lightning rod for criticism from both fans and the media. Still, Draymond Green thinks the backlash has been a bit over the top. “So many people crushed Nico for the reasons that he gave,” Green began on The Draymond Green Show, adding,

“When Nico gave those reasons, everybody said he’s ridiculous, he’s crazy. Now, when I turn on the TV, all I see is media who crushed Nico, which essentially aided in him getting fired, regurgitating the same things that Nico Harrison was saying.”

Green’s comments suggest that these narratives played a direct role in Harrison’s firing, which they certainly did. However, the main reason the whole situation unfolded the way it did was the trade of Luka Doncic. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith pointed out that this crucial context is something Green didn’t emphasize enough in his rant.

“He’s wrong with his depiction of what people are saying,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take. “I think that in this particular instance, Draymond Green is being incredibly unfair. The Luka Doncic thing stands out. And Draymond Green should know better in terms of when you’re talking about highlighting what transpired. The man is unemployed now.”

“I think that in this particular instance Draymond Green is being incredibly unfair. … If Luka Doncic had been put on the open market by Nico Harrison, can we even sit here and imagine the assets that would have been offered for him?”@stephenasmith reacts to Draymond’s… pic.twitter.com/NmFQ65k24i

— First Take (@FirstTake) March 2, 2026

Harrison couldn’t hide behind the new face of the franchise (Davis) for long before the Dumont family relieved him of his duties. And it wasn’t just Harrison’s decision to trade Doncic, which made him the top public enemy. The constant reports criticizing Doncic for his defensive struggles and perceived lack of effort left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

So, it’s fair to say Harrison’s public reception didn’t come out of nowhere. Mavericks fans and the basketball community as a whole criticized him with reasonable rationale. Smith can’t speak for every media member, and many genuinely like Harrison as a person. However, as a general manager, it’s important to be held accountable and speak the truth.