Nico Harrison

Mavs Notes: Harrison, AD, Gafford, Dirk, Cuban, Cisse, More

November 8th, 2025 at 2:15pm CST by Rory Maher

At 2-7, the Mavericks are in last place in the Western Conference, having lost at home to the 1-8 Wizards and the 2-6 Pelicans, who were on the second end of a back-to-back (and without Zion Williamson). They nearly suffered another home defeat to the 1-7 Pacers.

Dallas currently has the worst offensive rating in the NBA by a significant margin.

The disastrous start has people around the league questioning whether head of basketball operations Nico Harrison could be fired sooner rather than later, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Howdy Partners podcast with Michael C. Wright (YouTube link).

“A legitimate question right now is: Is Nico Harrison’s job in serious jeopardy? That is an absolutely legitimate question,” MacMahon said (hat tip to RealGM). “It’s the question obviously Mavericks fans have been hoping would be answered with an affirmative since early February.

“I don’t have a firm answer for you right now — that’s as much as I can tell you. But it is absolutely a legitimate question. When you talk to people about the Mavericks around the league, it is the first question that people are asking.

“(Harrison) stuck his neck out by making the most unpopular trade in NBA history.”

As MacMahon pointed out, Harrison has come under heavy scrutiny since he shockingly decided to trade franchise player Luka Doncic to the Lakers for a package headlined by Anthony Davis.

With an ill-fitting, injury-plagued roster and Doncic thriving in Los Angeles, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News argues it’s time for governor Patrick Dumont to listen to the fans who have been chanting for Harrison’s dismissal ever since the deal was completed.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Star big man Davis has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s matchup against Washington after missing the past four contests with a left calf strain, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He seems in good spirits, and I think he’s doing fine health-wise,” head coach Jason Kidd said Friday. “So we’ll see. But I don’t know about (Saturday).” MacMahon hears Davis has been targeting tonight’s contest for his return to action (Twitter link). Center Daniel Gafford is also questionable after aggravating his right ankle sprain in Friday’s loss in Memphis.
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, now an analyst for Amazon Prime, didn’t mince words about the team’s poor start on Friday, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I feel bad for my Mavs fans,” Nowitzki said. “This has been a disastrous start. Obviously, there’s a hole at the point guard and play-making position…at shot creating, at shot making. They can’t shoot, they can’t make plays…nobody can make shots. It’s been tough to watch.”
Longtime majority stakeholder and current minority owner Mark Cuban also weighed in on the team’s struggles during a radio appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, according to Townsend. “You know, I’m not thrilled with the composition of the team,” Cuban said. “I think we’re imbalanced. We don’t have enough depth at point guard. We don’t have somebody who’s a creator that gets other people shots or enough of that. And so I didn’t think we were going to crush it and start off 8-0, but I didn’t expect 2-6 (as of Friday).”
Rookie center Moussa Cisse, who is on a two-way contract, provided a spark off the bench on Friday amid what was an otherwise dispiriting loss at Memphis, Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. The 23-year-old big man finished with career highs of 10 points (on 4-of-5 shooting) and eight rebounds in 14 minutes — the team was plus-18 during his time on the court in the 14-point loss. “He plays hard — that’s how he plays,” Kidd said. “He’s out there to prove that he belongs. He’s hungry, and that’s what stands out when you watch him play. He plays one way — he plays hard and he plays fast.”
Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal and Townsend of The Dallas Morning News pass along several more quotes from Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies, who entered the night on a four-game losing streak (Memphis is now 4-6).

Texas Notes: Popovich, Harper, Flagg, Mavs Fans

October 26th, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Spurs have unveiled a banner in honor of former head coach Gregg Popovich, according to The Associated Press. The team honored the legendary coach ahead of its home opener against the Nets today.

The banner was not accompanied by a celebration or ceremony, in keeping with Popovich’s wishes and style. In understated fashion fitting for the team and person it’s honoring, the banner simply read: “Pop 1,390,” in reference to his 1390 wins, the most of any coach in NBA history, followed by “Hall of Fame,” as tribute to his 2023 induction.

“I think it’s very Pop-esque,” Mitch Johnson, who is currently in the midst of his first full season as the Spurs head coach, said of the unflashy ceremony.

Popovich took out an ad on page A12 of the San Antonio Express-News today to express his gratitude to the fanbase, relays Mike Finger of the Express-News (via Twitter).

“While I will miss being on the sidelines, I’m content knowing this transition came at a time when we were fortunate to have Mitch Johnson in place, ready to take over the program,” Popovich wrote. “All of us across the organization are excited to, once again, experience the good times together. Thank you for all the great years and here’s to many more.”

We have more from around the world of Texas hoops:

The Spurs were on the cusp of blowing a 26-point lead to the Nets on Sunday — then Dylan Harper happened, writes Jeff McDonald of the Express-News. Harper finished his third game as a professional with 20 points and eight assists off the bench, and his teammates felt that he helped turn the tide. “He’s making all the right plays,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. “When we had that little slump in the second half, he came in and bought that spark.” Mitch Johnson was thrilled with Harper’s performance on both ends of the court against Brooklyn. “I think his offense was really good and obviously his stat line will represent that,” the Spurs’ coach said. “But I thought his defense was better than his offense.”
Cooper Flagg spoke about the Mavericks‘ 0-for-2 start to the season ahead of their Sunday night tip-off against the Raptors. “It came down to turnovers — just silly ones we shouldn’t have thrown,” Flagg said of the team’s 117-110 loss to the Wizards. “We’ve got to take care of the ball because that led to a lot of transition opportunities for them.” Flagg has been operating as the Mavs’ primary ball-handler through the first three games, and has had some positive moments while still working on learning the intricacies of running an offense, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Flagg became the second player under 19 to have a game with at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists, Afseth notes, with the other being LeBron James.
It took just two games for Mavericks fans to regain their frustration with team leadership, writes Marc Stein of the Stein Line (subscriber link). Stein writes that “Fire Nico” chants, referencing general manager Nico Harrison, were audible in both of the team’s two losses to start the season, the first one coming at the hands of Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, and the second against the Wizards. Harrison remains confident in his position with the team, which Stein notes is bolstered by the support of owner Patrick Dumont, partially because Dumont was the person who signed off on Harrison’s trade of Luka Doncic.

Southwest Notes: Harrison, Wembanyama, Fears, Queen, Dumars

October 25th, 2025 at 10:48am CST by Dana Gauruder

The good vibes from the Mavericks‘ draft lottery win in the spring haven’t carried over to the regular season. After consecutive losses to open the year, fans in Dallas are already chanting ‘Fire Nico!’ Those chants, referring to president of basketball operations Nico Harrison, filled American Airlines Center during their 10-point loss to the rebuilding Wizards on Friday, Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes.

“I think they have a right to vent, but there’s a patience [needed],” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “It’s a different team. It’s a new team. We’re just getting to understand each other. We’re going to keep learning each other. “So I would say be patient, but I understand the frustration. We all want to win. We all want to compete at a high level, but it’s a game of expression, and fans have a right to express themselves. But that doesn’t stop us from coming to work tomorrow and getting better and getting ready for Sunday [against Toronto].”

Kidd recently received a multiyear extension but there have not been any discussions about a contract extension for Harrison, according to MacMahon. Harrison has two years remaining on his deal.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Victor Wembanyama came close to a triple-double in the Spurs’ overtime win over New Orleans on Friday with 29 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News notes. Wembanyama’s big performance came two nights after a 40-point, 15-rebound outburst in the Spurs’ 125-92 season-opening blowout of Dallas. That performance awed this year’s top pick, the Mavs’ Cooper Flagg. “He is incredible. He is a different player,” Flagg said, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “You can’t know what it’s like until you’re out there on the court with him. It’s something I’ve never seen before. He was great tonight, but we’ve got to do a better job of trying to just take away some of his looks, and we can’t foul him as much as we did.”
Pelicans first-rounders Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen are already playing meaningful minutes, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. They were on the floor during the final minutes of regulation and most of overtime against the Spurs. Queen played 35 minutes and finished with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Fears played 29 minutes and had 13 points, four rebounds, two steals and an assist. “I saw a lot of poise from both guys at the end of the game, throughout the whole game really,” Pelicans’ coach Willie Green said. “You can tell they want it.”
The Pelicans’ performances this season after major roster renovations will go a long way in determining how Joe Dumars’ tenure as the lead executive plays out, Walker opines. “Before you can get to the playoffs or a certain amount of wins, the first thing you have to get to is, ‘We compete hard every night,’” Dumars said. “If you don’t establish that in your building first, you’re just talking. You’re just giving quotes out at that point. For me, it’s a process of establishing a hard, competitive playing team every night. Then we will get to the wins and losses.”

Cuban Regrets Not Opening Bidding Process During Mavs’ Sale

August 26th, 2025 at 5:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban doesn’t regret his decision to sell a large portion of his stake in the team but wishes he’d have opened up the process, he stated during an interview on the DLLS podcast (hat tips to Jasmyn Wimbish of CBSSports.com and Tim Cato of AllDllls.com).

“I don’t regret selling the team, I regret how I did it,” Cuban said. “Would I still sell the team? Yes, for all the same reasons I’ve said 100 times. Would I do it the same way? Absolutely not. I would have put it out to bid, but I didn’t so it doesn’t matter.”

Mavericks are now primarily owned by Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont, her son-in-law and the team’s governor.

Dumont’s role as team governor wasn’t in Cuban’s plans. Cuban kept a 27% stake in the Mavericks intentionally, since a part owner needs at least a 15% stake to remain governor of the team. When the sale was made official, there was nothing to indicate Cuban would continue his role in running the team’s basketball operations. He blames the league for losing his governor title.

“I did have it in writing,” Cuban said. “… Like I said before, there was a clause in there that gave me the right to be in every meeting, every trade discussion, everything, and the NBA took that out.”

Commission Adam Silver denied earlier this year that it was a league decision.

“Any decision as to what Mark’s role would be in basketball operations was a function of an arrangement to be made between Mark Cuban and Patrick,” Silver said in March.

But Cuban reiterated during the podcast that the league was to blame.

“Who the hell do you think took it out?” Cuban said. “I’ve got a letter from my lawyer saying the NBA made us remove it.”

However, Cuban says he has a good relationship with Dumont.

“I still talk to (him) a fair amount,” Cuban said. “He does care. And he cares when we lose. He’s spending time to learn. He’s learn a ton in time. Now I can talk to him about analytics. I can talk to him about our roster.”

However, Cuban says he doesn’t stay in contact with general manager Nico Harrison, who made the controversial trade that sent fan favorite and franchise player Luka Doncic to the Lakers. Cuban made it known publicly shortly after the trade occurred that he had no say in the matter and was against the idea of dealing Doncic.

“We all were hurt when Luka got traded — me as much as anyone, because I felt like I let people down by not being there,” Cuban said. “But what’s done is done. And we got Cooper (Flagg) — the basketball gods were looking down on us and he’s the real deal.”

The entire interview with Cuban can be accessed here.

Mavs Notes: Frontcourt, Washington, Flagg, Free Agency, Sweeney, Lottery Luck

June 26th, 2025 at 6:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks frontcourt might seem a little crowded with Dereck Lively, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford — who just agreed to an extension — joined by top pick Cooper Flagg.

However, general manager Nico Harrison indicated he’s planning to have all of them sharing minutes, rather than moving one of the veterans. He also envisions Washington, the incumbent starting small forward, playing together with Flagg at times. Harrison even brought up the subject with Washington.

“I said, ‘Hey, P.J., you think you guys can play together?’ ” Harrison recalled, per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “He’s like, ‘Oh yeah, we can play together.’ So I don’t see any jealousy. I think guys are excited to play with him and as he’s ready, he’s gonna get more and more opportunities.”

By winning the draft lottery, Harrison believes the team will be contenders for years to come.

“I think it’s win now. It’s also win in the future,” Harrison said. “Eventually it’s going to be Cooper’s team. We don’t know when that transition will happen. So I think it’s win now and then set yourself up to win in the future as well.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Harrison envisions Flagg as making an impact in a variety of ways, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He’s a basketball player. He can handle the ball, he can shoot, he can make plays for people. He’s a good passer,” Harrison said. “He’s going to be on the floor. The big thing is: who can he defend? And he’s a great defender.”
Harrison said the Mavs will look in free agency to fill the temporary void left by Kyrie Irving‘s ACL injury but it won’t necessarily be a traditional point guard. “I’m not really worried about someone to run the offense. I think we’ve got enough guys that can handle the ball and play multiple positions — just someone to get us organized,” Harrison said, per Afseth, adding, “A lot of players want to come play in Dallas.”
Harrison became extremely unpopular with fans after trading Luka Doncic but the franchise’s lottery luck seems to have to toned down the vitriol, he notes. “I’ve seen the fans react since we got the No. 1 pick. It feels like they’re feeling really good and optimistic about the future,” he said, according to Afseth. “I’m hoping so. I’m assuming so — a little bit maybe.”
Harrison emphasized during his press conference that Jason Kidd was staying put as head coach, dousing speculation that Kidd could wind up with the Knicks. Sean Sweeney‘s agent, Andy Miller, told Townsend (Twitter link) that Dallas did want to keep Sweeney but that the Spurs offered the highly regarded assistant a “bigger role.” “Sean’s contract was expiring,” Miller said. “Dallas made a yeoman’s effort to obviously retain him. They wanted to keep him. I think for Sean this is an opportunity to have a bigger role, a bigger say, more input, with an upward trajectory…”
A team source told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes that the organization was stunned when it drew the top combination in the lottery last month. “We never even considered that the impossible could happen on May 12,” the source said. “I’m not sure there has ever been a more abrupt reversal of fortune.”

Southwest Notes: Murray, Edey, Flagg, Mavs, Hooper

June 20th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on The Pivot Podcast (YouTube link) this week, Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray said he has “nothing but love” for the city of New Orleans but that the last year was his “worst experience in the NBA,” as Rashad Milligan of NOLA.com relays.

In addition to sustaining two major injuries – a broken hand and a torn Achilles – Murray dealt with a series of tragedies in his personal life, including the death of a cousin, his mother suffering a stroke, and an uncle overdosing. He also felt that he wasn’t getting the sort of support he needed from the Pelicans.

“The organization, it got bad, man,” he said. “As you guys can see, such and such got fired, another guy left, they brought new people in.”

Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin was let go at the end of the season, while general manager Bryson Graham left New Orleans to take a job in the Hawks’ front office.

“I’m stressed, I’m mad everyday, I’m sad, I’m angry, I don’t want to be there at that time. It’s just so much going on,” Murray said, describing his mental state during the season. “… It wasn’t just me, it was everybody’s mental. Every player. I hope this brings peace to my brothers. I hope everyone gets what they need. I hope the organization gets it together because you have the talent, but it ain’t just the talent. You need every dot to connect to have a chance to win.”

We have more from around the Southwest:

Grizzlies center Zach Edey will have an initial hearing on Monday for a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving, according to Ron Wilkins of the Lafayette Journal & Courier. As Wilkins reports, Indiana police say that stopped Edey on May 1 after he was driving 101 mph in a 55-mph zone. He told the state trooper who pulled him over that he was speeding because he was trying to pass another vehicle.
Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscriber link) takes an inside look at Cooper Flagg‘s visit to Dallas this week, which included a Tuesday dinner with general manager Nico Harrison, head coach Jason Kidd, CEO Rick Welts, assistant GM Michael Finley, and other Mavericks staffers. According to Curtis, Flagg’s visit also included meetings with members of the Mavs’ business operations department, a tour of the team’s facilities, and a standard workout that included situational reads and shooting drills. He reportedly shot the ball “insanely well” during that workout, a league source tells Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban.
With Flagg set to join the Mavericks next Wednesday as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, Chris Mannix takes an in-depth look at the star prospect in a cover story for Sports Illustrated.
The Mavericks plan to name Max Hooper as the new head coach of their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, reports Marc Stein (Twitter link). Hooper, the head video coordinator in Dallas, will replace Jordan Sears, who is expected to move back to the Mavs’ coaching staff after coaching the Legends for the past two seasons, Stein explains.

Stein’s Latest: Holiday, White, Porzingis, Williamson, Mavs, Dumont

May 18th, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The early speculation regarding the Celtics’ offseason is that Jrue Holiday is more likely to be moved than backcourt partner Derrick White, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.

Holiday has three years remaining on a four-year, $134MM contract, which includes a $37.2MM player option in the final year of the deal. White’s four-year, $118MM extension, which kicks in next season, includes a $34.8MM player option for 2028/29.

Kristaps Porziņgis‘ $30.7MM expiring contract is viewed by outside executives as the most movable on Boston’s roster, according to Stein. However, Porzingis’ mysterious illness, which lingered during the final month of the regular season through the playoffs, may give potential suitors pause.

It should be noted that the need to make some roster adjustments was anticipated before Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tendon injury, which will likely sideline him though next season. The Celtics’ brass is confronted by luxury tax concerns and tax apron constraints.

Here’s more from Stein:

League sources tell Stein that Zion Williamson‘s presence at the draft lottery was indeed a signal from the Pelicans’ new front office that they’ll continue to make him the team’s centerpiece, rather than looking to deal him. Williamson represented New Orleans at the lottery, though he didn’t bring good luck — the club slid to the No. 7 pick.
While the Mavericks haven’t been overt about it, they have no plans to field trade offers for the No. 1 overall pick. “Not even for Giannis (Antetokounmpo),” a source briefed on the team’s thinking told Stein. The team’s ownership and front office realize they must rebuild trust with their fan base by drafting Cooper Flagg as the new face of the franchise. The Mavericks are expected to soon secure their first in-person meeting with Flagg.
New majority owner Patrick Dumont, who is based in Las Vegas, has visited Dallas multiple times since the Mavericks’ season ended in early April. That has reinforced the notion that Dumont remains in general manager Nico Harrison’s corner as the franchise’s top decision-maker, says Stein.

Mavs Intend To Keep No. 1 Pick, Draft Cooper Flagg

May 13th, 2025 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Since the Mavericks‘ unlikely lottery win on Monday night, there has been speculation about the possibility of the front office – which clearly isn’t shy about taking big swings – including the No. 1 overall pick in a trade for a proven superstar such as Giannis Antetokounmpo.

However, that’s not the plan in Dallas, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who hears from sources that the Mavericks intend to use the pick to draft consensus top prospect Cooper Flagg and won’t entertain the idea of trading it. Marc Stein (Twitter link) has heard the same thing from a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

According to MacMahon, Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont considers it a “gift” to get the opportunity to draft a prospect like Flagg. The possibility of re-gifting the Duke star to another team isn’t under consideration, says MacMahon, noting that Dumont has given general manager Nico Harrison leeway to run the front office but still has the final say on all basketball decisions.

As MacMahon points out, the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February resulted in “significant business concerns” for the Mavericks, in addition to creating a murky long-term outlook for a franchise that has traded away control of its own first-round picks from 2027-30. Being able to add Flagg to Dallas’ core would go a long way toward mitigating both of those concerns, MacMahon writes.

Flagg will be joining a Mavs roster headlined by Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively, and P.J. Washington.

As fortunate as Dallas is to be in position to bring aboard a talent like Flagg, there’s still plenty of work to be done on the roster this summer. With Irving expected to miss a significant chunk of the season while he recovers from a torn ACL, the team is short on ball-handling and play-making and will be looking to upgrade its backcourt.

Front Office Rumors: Suns, Ishbia, Myers, Hawks, Connelly, Harrison

April 23rd, 2025 at 7:13pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Suns owner Mat Ishbia is believed to have had a “longstanding” interest in trying to convince former Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers, now an ESPN broadcaster, to return to the NBA to lead Phoenix’s front office, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Ishbia is looking to add new voices to his front office contingent before hiring his fourth head coach in four years, according to Stein and Fischer, who say it’s is unclear whether longtime head of basketball operations James Jones would be replaced in that scenario or would work alongside a new executive.

If Myers were to join the Suns, he’d presumably be the one calling the shots over Jones, but many sources around the league are skeptical Myers would be amenable to joining the team, Stein and Fischer say, even though Phoenix is relatively close to Myers’ L.A. home. While that could work in the club’s favor, Myers is said to be enjoying his TV job and his consulting work with the NFL’s Washington Commanders, while the Suns are currently deep in the league’s second luxury tax apron without a lot of short-term future draft equity.

According to Stein and Fischer, Ishbia is expected to have a “significant” voice in hiring a new head coach, which suggests that Jones and/or another key front office newcomer might not have as much say in the coaching decision as a head of basketball operations typically would. The Suns are expected to seek out a younger, greener head coach than their last three, with multiple former players likely to be considered, the duo reports.

Here are more NBA rumors:

After firing former general manager Landry Fields earlier this week, the Hawks are looking to pair newly elevated GM Onsi Saleh with their eventual Fields replacement to lead the front office, according to Stein and Fischer. Sources inform the duo that team owner Tony Ressler is open to forking over top dollar for a seasoned front office pro. Myers, who was Saleh’s boss with the Warriors, is a possible target for Atlanta.
While current Timberwolves president Tim Connelly will likely be linked to front office openings this offseason, there’s a league-wide expectation that the Wolves will sign him to a new deal now that Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are poised to take over control of the team from Glen Taylor, Stein and Fischer say.
Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont is reportedly no longer interested in giving general manager Nico Harrison carte blanche when it comes to basketball decisions, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon told former colleague Bomani Jones on the latter’s podcast The Right Time With Bomani Jones (YouTube video link). MacMahon says Dumont is believed to be seeking an experienced front office executive to work alongside Harrison going forward, following his controversial decision to trade five-time All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic to Los Angeles in exchange for a package led by injury-prone big man Anthony Davis. “Now, the ‘In Nico We Trust’ era has ended,” McMahon said. “He wants him to bring in an experienced exec. I think he’s realized he’s got to have some checks and balances that weren’t in place… I think this has been a very educational experience for Patrick Dumont in his first full year as an NBA governor. Also, the realization [that] in this world [the] management’s not the stars. The stars are the guys on the floor.”

Mavs Rumors: Health/Performance Team, Doncic, Dumont, Harrison, Kidd

April 22nd, 2025 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Within an in-depth story focused on the changes made with the Mavericks‘ health and performance department in recent years, Tim MacMahon of ESPN shares several details that reflect poorly on the team’s current management, starting with the firing of longtime director of health and performance Casey Smith in 2023.

As MacMahon explains, several sources believe general manager Nico Harrison fired Smith – who was close with longtime Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki as well as Luka Doncic – because he wasn’t enough of a yes-man.

“(Harrison) was 100 percent threatened by him,” a team source told MacMahon. “He’s going to show that I’m in charge and nobody else can question that.”

MacMahon also reports that the relationship between new director of player health and performance Johann Bilsborough and athletic performance director Keith Belton has been frosty, writing that Bilsborough doesn’t respect Belton’s acumen. Belton was hired by the Mavs first, with Bilsborough later hired as his superior.

A January disagreement over how Dereck Lively‘s foot injury was being handled led to a “loud, heated confrontation” between the two men, according to MacMahon, who hears from one source that the altercation was “coming for a long time.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Both MacMahon and Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) say the calf strain Doncic sustained on Christmas Day was a source of major tension between the Mavs and the guard’s camp. The team believed that Doncic could be back in two to three weeks and Harrison thought the injury was related to Doncic’s conditioning, whereas the star guard’s camp was adamant that he needed to sit out for six weeks to fully recover and believed the injury stemmed from the fact that he returned too soon from a previous heel issue. “That deepened the divide,” a source told ESPN.
In the wake of the Doncic trade, Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont no longer views Harrison as having “irreproachable basketball expertise,” sources tell Tim Cato of DLLS Sports (subscription required). Dumont has been especially frustrated that Harrison either didn’t foresee or didn’t better prepare him for the extreme negative reaction to the trade from the fan base, Cato adds.
Within the same story, Cato cites sources who say that Jason Kidd “resented” the Doncic trade, even though the Mavs head coach shared some of Harrison’s frustrations about Doncic’s work habits. Kidd felt he was being asked to reinvent a roster and a system that had previously been built around Doncic, Cato explains, noting that the coach’s frustration was a factor in his decision to skip a mandatory press conference in February on the same day Doncic made his Lakers debut.

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