Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison held a rare press conference today, addressing the media for only the second time since the shocking trade of franchise star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The closed-door, invite-only event, which barred cameras and recording devices, has sparked criticism. Despite the unconventional format, Harrison shared several notable insights about the trade and the team’s future.
Harrison reiterated his stance on the blockbuster trade, emphasizing that he has “no regrets” about the decision.
“Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today but also in the future, and some of the decisions I’m going to make are going to be unpopular,” Harrison said.
He defended the move as a necessary step to build a championship-caliber team, even if it meant parting ways with the team’s cornerstone player.
One of Harrison’s key justifications for the trade was his belief in the importance of defense. He repeatedly cited the mantra “defense wins championships” as the rationale behind acquiring players like Anthony Davis, who he described as a defensive anchor. Harrison expressed confidence in the team’s new core, which includes Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II, calling it a “championship-caliber team.”
Harrison acknowledged the anger and disappointment among Mavericks fans, who have been vocal in their criticism of the trade.
“The beauty of Dallas is the passionate fan base,” he said.
Harrison admitted that every trade he has made has been met with scrutiny but expressed hope that the results would eventually win back the trust of the community.
When asked why the trade was kept under wraps, Harrison explained that publicly shopping Doncic would have been irresponsible and could have jeopardized the deal. He revealed that the team had targeted Anthony Davis as a key acquisition and felt that secrecy was essential to making the trade happen.
Despite the controversy surrounding the trade, Harrison remains optimistic about the team’s future. He believes that history will ultimately judge the trade’s success and reiterated his commitment to building a competitive roster. The Mavericks, who finished the regular season as the 10th seed, will face the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament, marking the first test for the new-look team.
