Oct 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison (right) looks on during warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Reporter goes viral for asking Mavs' Nico Harrison why he shouldn't be fired

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 3:50 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks had an earlier exit than they anticipated this season after losing to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament on Friday night. A team that traded Luka Doncic to "win now" couldn't even make the playoffs, which has everyone in Dallas calling for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison, including reporters.

Harrison had his end-of-season exit interview on Monday afternoon, his first public media event since the day after the Luka Doncic trade, and had Isaac Harris of the "Locked on Mavs" Podcast ask him directly, "Luka comes back to town, the Lakers game is happening, and you're standing there and there's thousands of people chanting for you to be fired. That's an experience none of us... no one is chanting for us to lose our jobs. Why shouldn't you be fired?" That moment immediately went viral, and Harrison's response was lackluster.

A reporter just asked Nico Harrison “why shouldn’t you be fired?”

(h/t @NationMffl) pic.twitter.com/s8BF5QKpnB
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 21, 2025

"One, I think I've done a really good job here and I don't think that can be judged by injuries this year. You have to judge the totality from the beginning to end. So, I think I have a really good working relationship with {Mavericks governor] Patrick [Dumont]. I think in Rick [Welts, Mavericks CEO], the leadership we have is really elite and you’ll see next year when our team comes back. We’re going to be competing for a championship."

That's not a very convincing answer. And yes, we can judge on the injuries this year because Harrison willingly traded a healthy Quentin Grimes for an injured Caleb Martin, who only played 16 games with the team after the trade and scored a total of 75 points. He also traded Luka Doncic, who was close to returning from a calf strain, for a perpetually injured Anthony Davis, who played in 11 games after the trade due to injury.

Nico Harrison is an embarrassment to the organization, and it's amazing he hasn't been fired yet. Everything he has said since the deal has been a fireable offense.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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