Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[RGP1981]

"Sharing this A+ analysis on the Luka trade by the always insightful @chris_kratovil

Makes a ton of sense from the #txlege angle - esp considering Lite Patrick likely done next Session.

Good stuff. Read it??"

https://x.com/LoewyLawFirm/status/1886211634097746331

[greenhornSLO]

After all this.....who among NBA stars would even want to be in an organization like Mavericks...an organization with a GM like that...and a culture of behavior towards franchise players like that? I completely understand the players' performance yesterday against Cleveland! None of them know if they will still be a member of the Mavericks on Thursday! Yesterday they were only physically on the court, but mentally....who knows where!

We have all (sometimes) criticized franchise players (or some big stars) who, when asked for a trade, didn't show any respect for their current organization! What now....after this? As Giannis said! The main interest of the club owners is money.....Loyalty or anything else doesn't play any role here ((no need to guess whether AD will play half-healed like Luka did throughout last year's playoffs....we all know the answer). From here on, I completely understand the players that their own interests and those of their families come first!

[khaled1987]

You are probably right as far as being protected, but anything less than a championship this year with what he has done is a massive failure imo. He stated he's only concerned about the next 3-4 years. Multiple championships is the only acceptable outcome for this fiasco and I don't see it with the current team. Maybe I'll feel different after Thursday because I expect this team to look drastically different than what we currently see. That may be another all star level player or multiple really good role players. I don't think the current structure gets out of the 2nd round and possibly not the first round depending on matchup. This team will absolutely have to be top 4 to have a chance in the playoffs. They traded our cold blooded assassin. We aren't winning every series on the road ever again.

I was talking about his job security,  rather than fans judgement.

[khaled1987]

Mavs are currently 9th in the West and no longer have a generational player. Bold to be talking about conference finals appearances. I wouldn't be shocked if they missed the playoffs entirely.

Again, I was talking about what it takes for this trade to not blow in Nico's face

[hakeemfaan]

As someone wrote in the Sturm comments:
Chris McClure
6h

A fifth point from the press conference that should make Mavs’ fans insane was Harrison giving credit to Pelinka for keeping their trade talk between them. You’re gifting him a generational talent in his prime without asking him to bid against any other teams. Of course he’s going to keep his mouth shut. Harrison has got to be one of the dumbest people on the planet.

[BigDirk41]

As someone wrote in the Sturm comments:
Chris McClure
6h

A fifth point from the press conference that should make Mavs’ fans insane was Harrison giving credit to Pelinka for keeping their trade talk between them. You’re gifting him a generational talent in his prime without asking him to bid against any other teams. Of course he’s going to keep his mouth shut. Harrison has got to be one of the dumbest people on the planet.

And then he leaked the original deal to show how bad Nico is at his job....lol. I'm glad he did. Props for that.

[SleepingHero]

Mavs are currently 9th in the West and no longer have a generational player. Bold to be talking about conference finals appearances. I wouldn't be shocked if they missed the playoffs entirely.

I specifically posed a question for the board on what would it take for this NOT to be a massive colossal historical embarrassment the likes of which we’ve never ever ever ever seen.

Khaled thinks at minimum a finals appearance.

I’m starting to think it’s basically a ring or nothing. And truthfully I don’t see how this roster can win a ring.

[cow]

I specifically posed a question for the board on what would it take for this NOT to be a massive colossal historical embarrassment the likes of which we’ve never ever ever ever seen.

Khaled thinks at minimum a finals appearance.

I’m starting to think it’s basically a ring or nothing. And truthfully I don’t see how this roster can win a ring.

Only a Time Machine and a bullet could make this trade better.

[hakeemfaan]

We are cursed. To have the perfect Venn diagram of a generational talent having annoying tendencies, a new GM who suddenly found himself with no checks and balances, the GM knowing only one guy he could talk secretively to..a wily battle hardened friend who immediately sensed his whole life story getting rewritten, and an ownership group so detached that they couldn’t pick Luka Doncic apart from Luka Modric.

All come together for a colossal blunder of epic proportions. Even all that I can understand. However all of these once in a life time things came together to hurt my team. Why us? Then again this is why decisions matter. Cuban had a transcendent talent talent fall in his lap. He selected Avery to coach him and wasted a few of his years. Even Donnie Jr was not the best of GMs.. Cuban then lucked out and had an even more talented once in a generation player somehow fall in his lap. He goes and selects a neophyte GM in Nico. There was no senior guy to keep him in check.

Even though Cuban is no longer here his fingerprints are all over this. Decisions matter. Everything has consequences.

[BolsDamols]

Bob Sturm today.

https://bobsturm.substack.com/p/the-case...al-binding

thanks for this, this should be requred reading for everyone

[Knutsen]

Bob Sturm today.

https://bobsturm.substack.com/p/the-case...al-binding

Great article, thanks for sharing.

The unreasonable romantic in me looks forward to a reunion with Luka in 5 years to bring a championship to Dallas like LeBron did in Cleveland, long after Harrison is gone and after he became a true professional next to LeBron that recognized he doesn’t need that Lakers glamour.

[SleepingHero]

Bob Sturm today.

https://bobsturm.substack.com/p/the-case...al-binding

This article encapsulated my feelings so, so well. 


I wish I could pin it to the forum , but I think everyone would get tired of seeing it.

[mvossman]

I’ll bet that the players understood the trade pretty well.

They’ve seen Luka up close and personal for quite awhile. Their emotions probably swing between “wow, what an incredible offensive player!’ to “dang, he’s an undisciplined jerk”.

Just like us fans, but with a clearer view of his warts.

I'll bet they didn't.  Players want to win, and they know what this did to their chances.  There is a reason PJ level of play jumped several notches when he came here.  This trade was hope crushing, not just for the fans but I bet for the players as well.  It has been clear this roster was not constructed to operate without Luka, and adding AD is going to make the fit even more awkward.

[hakeemfaan]

This para personally spoke to me because my older one said he is done with the NBA. The younger one says he will support Luka wherever he goes as he feels the Mavs didn’t value the fans.

“But days like yesterday remind us that fans can lose their love for a team—especially young fans. When a young fan finds out that his favorite player was sent away for less-than-convincing reasons to a mortal enemy, he is going to wonder why he has to side with those who hurt him. His favorite hero is still on TV, but in different colors. His hero is smiling again. His hero still makes him happy. He is jumping ship.

It hurts to admit it, but that kid isn’t wrong, is he? Is loyalty to a team really about buying all the nonsense they sell? Is it about supporting the wrong moves just because we like the colors? Is it about realizing that this only happened because a first-time GM and a first-time owner made a mistake in judgment—and nobody was there to tell them that you cannot un-fire the nukes once they have been launched?“

[Jym]

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

I specifically posed a question for the board on what would it take for this NOT to be a massive colossal historical embarrassment the likes of which we’ve never ever ever ever seen.

Khaled thinks at minimum a finals appearance.

I’m starting to think it’s basically a ring or nothing. And truthfully I don’t see how this roster can win a ring.

Chip in the next 3 years or this is the worst trade in NBA history.

[fifteenth]

I've gone through a slow burn on this. I was already so frustrated with Luka for not taking care of himself, missing large portions of multiple seasons, and doing it once again this season. So, my initial response was "I kinda get it."

But as I have had more time to sit with this, I get sad about not getting to watch another playoff run with the Luka Mavs...ever.

And I think that Nico just exposed himself as completely tone deaf and incompetent. He shouldn't have been left with this much power. And I feel like at this point this franchise is dead.

[KillerLeft]

Probably the best, most level headed perspective on this I've seen so far:

https://youtu.be/bq2_Gmp3y8k?si=wTuMgJhii2j7fzRy

[SleepingHero]

I wonder if the Adelsons could sue Nico.

Like if the drop from profits is so severe, and his move considered SO reckless, that it opens him up to some form of malpractice for not operating in the best interest in the franchise.

I know for public companies CEO's can't just openly tank a stock like that. I know the Mavs aren't a public company, but the owners hopefully are about to get absolutely fucked 2 ways from sunday in terms of ticket sales, jersey sales, and general interest in the team.

[SleepingHero]

@BillyMacLeod
All Mavericks fans, especially season ticket-holders, need to boycott this Saturday's game against the Rockets. After that, do whatever. But this weekend, the first game back, the AAC should be empty. And there should be picket lines at every entrance. It's gotta happen.