Stephen A. Smith Urges Nico Harrison to ‘Shut Up’ After Strong Luka Doncic Comment

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Thad Brown | Last updated Apr 16, 2025 12:18 PM ET

The Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February is still sending shockwaves through the league — and on Wednesday, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith added fuel to the fire.

Just one day after Mavericks GM Nico Harrison held a closed-door press conference — where video and audio recordings were banned — Smith took issue with Harrison’s public defense of the trade and didn’t mince words.

“You shut up and you go home," Smith said on "First Take", slamming the Mavericks executive for dismissing the backlash. "That’s what you should do."

At the core of the controversy is Harrison’s explanation for sending Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round pick — a deal many Mavericks fans are still questioning.

"You shut up and you go home. That's what [Nico Harrison] should do." @stephenasmith says he "hated" Nico Harrison's recent comments on having "no regrets" about trading Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/GnyHw33TN5
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 16, 2025

Harrison stood firm on Tuesday.

“There’s no regrets on the trade," said Harrison. "Some of the decisions I’m going to make are going to be unpopular. That’s my job, and I have to stand by it. Our philosophy, like I said, going forward is defense wins championships, and this trade cements us for that.”

But Smith wasn’t buying the logic, especially with Doncic thriving in Los Angeles. The Lakers, led by Doncic’s 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, finished 50–32 and secured the third seed in the Western Conference.

Making matters worse, the secrecy of Harrison’s press conference, with no cameras or recorders allowed, didn’t sit well with media and fans alike.

As the Lakers prepare for their playoff opener against Minnesota, the Mavericks are left defending a move that continues to haunt them. And with Stephen A. now weighing in, the pressure on Dallas’ front office isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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