National Reporter Reveals Nico Harrison’s Tensions With Mark Cuban as Ex-Mavs Owner’s Luka Doncic Offer Emerges

Luka Doncic might’ve officially left Dallas on February 2, but let’s be honest—the writing was on the wall way before Nico Harrison became Dallas’ public enemy no. 1. If you rewind about a year and a half, that’s when the cracks really started to show. It wasn’t just a locker room issue or a few bad games. According to more than a dozen team and league sources, the entire vibe around the franchise began slipping long before that Finals run. Back when things were smooth, none of the internal drama really stuck.

Doncic had one major advantage: Mark Cuban. Cuban had gone all-in on Luka during the 2018 draft, pulling off a bold trade to bring the 19-year-old Slovenian phenom to Dallas. And for years, he stood by him—temper and all—because, well, when a guy’s that good, you take the whole package.

The 5x All-Star was lined up for a five-year, $345 million extension this summer, and he even said he wanted it. But after Cuban sold most of the team to the Adelson family in late 2023 for a whopping $3.5 billion, he wasn’t calling the shots anymore. Enter Nico Harrison. The GM had loaded up the roster with names like Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford. It paid off—they reached the Finals. But behind the scenes? Harrison wasn’t sold on Doncic long-term.

Feb 10, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison walks off the court before the game between the Dallas and the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mark Cuban really tried to step in when things got rocky between Doncic and Nico Harrison. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the former Mavericks governor actually offered to play mediator. That’s how bad the tension got.

But here’s the kicker—Harrison wasn’t having it. Even though Cuban had been the team’s most influential voice for years, sources told MacMahon that Harrison had already made sure he had full control. Ever since Patrick Dumont stepped in as the new team governor, Harrison worked to box Cuban out of all basketball decisions. And it worked.

Now fast forward to today, and things inside the Mavericks front office are getting even messier.

Nico Harrison hasn’t impressed Patrick Dumont yet

But let’s rewind a bit—because before Harrison went on record, The Athletic’s Tim Cato had already peeled back the curtain. According to Cato, “The frustration [between Dumont and Harrison] came from a perception that Harrison didn’t do enough to consult with Dumont during the process of trading Doncic.”

Yep, you read that right. The new team governor wasn’t just annoyed—he felt straight-up sidelined in the biggest decision of the season. And you better believe that rubbed him the wrong way.

Now enter Nico Harrison, doubling down like it was just another Tuesday.

“Yeah, there’s no regrets on the trade,” he told the media, sounding almost casual about it. “Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future.”

Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks fans gather outside the arena before the game between the Dallas and the Houston Rockets to protest the Nico Harrison trade of former Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

But come on—how do you trade away a once-in-a-generation talent like Luka to the Lakers and act like it’s just business? Fans didn’t take that lightly, and neither did the media. Stephen A. Smith, never one to hold back, straight-up torched Harrison on First Take.

“You shut up and you go home,” he snapped. “That’s what [Nico Harrison] should do.”

And honestly, that’s the vibe most fans have right now. Social media’s been in meltdown mode. No matter how many future-focused buzzwords Harrison throws around, it’s hard to shake the reality—he’s now the guy known for letting Luka go.

Doesn’t matter what kind of rebuild plan he’s pitching. Around here, you don’t just trade the face of the franchise and walk away clean.

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