Overview
- Tim MacMahon’s ESPN report, sourced to more than a dozen Mavericks insiders, outlines a prolonged tug-of-war between minority owner Mark Cuban and then–top executive Nico Harrison following the 2023 ownership change.
- New governor Patrick Dumont declared final authority; Harrison began reporting directly to him, curtailed Cuban’s involvement, and selectively briefed ownership, according to the reporting.
- Harrison persuaded Dumont to approve February’s Luka Dončić trade by citing conditioning and calf concerns and the risk of a costly super-max, with the deal sending Dončić to the Lakers for a package led by Anthony Davis.
- Cuban publicly criticized the trade, then pressed for leadership changes; Dumont dismissed Harrison on Nov. 10 and installed Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi as co-interim GMs, with Cuban now back in the governor’s inner circle as a consultant.
- Harrison’s earlier wins—trading for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford and reaching the 2024 NBA Finals—had boosted his standing, even as staffers blamed Cuban for losing Jalen Brunson and dealing for Christian Wood, and the team now ranks near the bottom offensively, reinforcing Cuban’s roster concerns.