Nico Harrison Makes Surprising Admission About Luka Doncic Trade

Mavericks GM Nico Harrison dropped a bombshell while reflecting on his blockbuster trade involving Luka Doncic—admitting he underestimated just how much the Dallas fanbase adored the 26-year-old superstar.

Speaking to reporters in Dallas on Monday, Harrison addressed the firestorm surrounding his controversial February deal that sent Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.

When asked if he realized how beloved Luka was in Dallas, Harrison admitted he didn’t grasp the full extent.

“I knew Luka meant a lot to the fans,” Harrison said. “I just didn’t realize how deep that connection went.”

He went on to explain that the injuries following the trade created a “perfect storm” that derailed the team’s plans.

“The vision was a lineup with Kyrie [Irving], Klay [Thompson], PJ [Washington], Anthony Davis, and [Derek] Lively. That’s a championship-caliber team. We believed that if we were winning, it would’ve silenced some of the backlash.”

But that vision never materialized.

Anthony Davis got injured less than halfway through his Mavericks debut. Then, just weeks later, Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL, effectively ending the team’s playoff hopes.

The Mavs—who were 26-23 with Luka and fell to 13-20 without him—missed the playoffs altogether.

Now, the organization faces a tough decision: stick with the GM who traded away their franchise player, or part ways with Harrison altogether.

As for Nico? He’s confident he’s still the right man for the job.

“I think I’ve done a really good job here,” Harrison said, citing the string of injuries and insisting, “You’ll see next year—when our team’s healthy, we’re going to be competing for a championship.”

Stay tuned.