Zach Lowe Blasts Mavericks GM Nico Harrison's Master Plan Claim

NBA analyst Zach Lowe did not hold back when addressing Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison’s now-infamous comment that fans can “finally start to see the vision” after landing Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Speaking on The Lowe Post, Lowe shredded Harrison’s attempt to retroactively brand the Mavericks’ improbable lottery win as a calculated strategy.

"The Mavericks, I just want to say this. I don't want to hear Nico Harrison talking about how now fans are starting to see the vision. Because the vision was two quarters against the Houston Rockets before Anthony Davis got hurt. My God, they're clinging to those two quarters. And now it's Cooper Flagg."

"There is no 'vision', unless he's an oracle of some kind, and then the whole NBA is in trouble because a supernatural being has entered the league."

"There is no vision that includes, 'You know what we're gonna do, we're gonna lose in the Play-In and win the Lottery in the Cooper Flagg year. Not the Zaccharie Risacher year, the Cooper Flagg year. With a 1.8% chance of doing it. And then the fans will see my vision.' Just no more vision talk." 

Lowe’s criticism is rooted in the raw improbability of what just happened. The Mavericks, after trading Luka Doncic midseason and limping into the Play-In Tournament, were statistically dead in the water when it came to winning the draft lottery. 

They held just a 1.8% chance of landing the top pick, and yet, that’s exactly what happened. But to suggest that this was part of Harrison’s “vision” was, to Lowe and many fans, not just disingenuous, it was insulting.

Harrison made the remark during Flagg’s introductory press conference, saying:

“We’re in ‘win now’ mode, and we have a really good team, and Cooper adds to that. I think the fans can finally start to see the vision.”