Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[hakeemfaan]

https://bobsturm.substack.com/p/three-th...-and-drops

[FireNicoHarrison]

LOL,  Why would anyone go to ESPN to get their basketball takes any longer

https://x.com/ESPNNBA/status/1910418193346154677

Kendrick Perkins has the same IQ as a frog

[Kidnova]

Nico has to be gone after the season, whether he's fired or he quits. Ownership needs to try to show the fanbase that they are at least pretending to care, and Nico can't even show his face in public. If for no other reason that Nico and his family can't live any type of ordinary life while he's in this role, he needs to go.

[F Gump]

Nico has to be gone after the season, whether he's fired or he quits.  Ownership needs to try to show the fanbase that they are at least pretending to care, and Nico can't even show his face in public.  If for no other reason that Nico and his family can't live any type of ordinary life while he's in this role, he needs to go.

This ^. All spot on!!

There is NO chance to rehabilitate Nico as the face of the franchise. His presence is bad. He can't even say a word. He's turned the Mavs into an object of derision. 

The sooner he's gone, the sooner there's a possibility for progress. No one wants to go on this trip he's imagined.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Nico has to be gone after the season, whether he's fired or he quits.  Ownership needs to try to show the fanbase that they are at least pretending to care, and Nico can't even show his face in public.  If for no other reason that Nico and his family can't live any type of ordinary life while he's in this role, he needs to go.

Yes...  But it's happens when you sold a franchise for your own business.

So, Nico take your family and go away. 
We won't miss you for sure. Bye bye

[hakeemfaan]

I see a new narrative more and more how it was mostly Dumont and how Nico was the fall guy.

A few problems with that. Nico and Luka’s camp have apparently been going at each other for a while with Nico removing a lot of insiders who he felt were Luka’s guys. That is not on Dumont. Even if Dumont said he didn’t want to pay the supermax how much of it was Nico constantly feeding into Dumont’s ears that it would hamstring the franchise going forward given Luka’s conditioning issues!? Did Dumont force Nico to be almost gleeful in that only press conference he had following the trade? Did Dumont force Nico to write a dumb letter where he was praising his own work ethic and comparing himself to a generational star as if that star got there without any work ethic? Another thing lost in that presser was Nico dismissing the injury that AD was going through and saying he expects the medical reports to be ok. So he made the deal without even knowing the extent of the injury? Especially for an older player who has never been the healthiest? Did Nico do his due diligence even if his hands were forced?

I am not excusing Luka. Seeing that video reminded me how skinny he was. He is fat now. That is solely on him. However he is also an offensive savant and just like Harden is doing even now, he will put up huge numbers even 5 years from now because his game is based on balance and strength than raw speed. Nico was correct about his reasons to be frustrated with Luka. Even many of us fans were. It’s just that unlike us fans he didn’t evaluate the flip side correctly. Luka is not AD. Luka is not even Harden. This is a generational level offensive talent and the whole thing should have been dealt much better. In hoops, organizations don’t win titles. Generational talents do. Even Riley has struggled after taking a stance against Bron despite that one Finals run. GMs and owners should not bend over backwards to every whim of players but they shouldn’t be arrogant either and think of players as just movable parts. Especially not when you have a generational talent in the mix.

[Chicagojk]

I see a new narrative more and more how it was mostly Dumont and how Nico was the fall guy.

A few problems with that. Nico and Luka’s camp have apparently been going at  each other for a while with Nico removing a lot of insiders who he felt were Luka’s guys.  That is not on Dumont.  Even if Dumont said he didn’t want to pay the supermax how much of it was Nico constantly feeding into Dumont’s ears that it would hamstring the franchise going forward given Luka’s conditioning issues!?  Did Dumont force Nico to be almost gleeful in that only press conference he had following the trade?  Did Dumont force Nico to write a dumb letter where he was praising his own work ethic and comparing himself to a generational star as if that star got there without any work ethic?  Another thing lost in that presser was Nico dismissing the injury that AD was going through and saying he expects the medical reports to be ok. So he made the deal without even knowing the extent of the injury?  Especially for an older player who has never been the healthiest?  Did Nico do his due diligence even if his hands were forced?

I am not excusing Luka. Seeing that video reminded me how skinny he was. He is fat now. That is solely on him. However he is also an offensive savant and just like Harden is doing even now, he will put up huge numbers even 5 years from now because his game is based on balance and strength than raw speed.  Nico was correct about his reasons to be frustrated with Luka. Even many of us fans were. It’s just that unlike us fans he didn’t evaluate the flip side correctly. Luka is not AD. Luka is not even Harden.  This is a generational level offensive talent and the whole thing should have been dealt much better. In hoops, organizations don’t win titles. Generational talents do. Even Riley has struggled after taking a stance against Bron despite that one Finals run. GMs and owners should not bend over backwards to every whim of players but they shouldn’t be arrogant either and think of players as just movable parts. Especially not when you have a generational talent in the mix.

Ha.  I think we are all looking for the whys.  So far the reporting seems to suggest this was a Nico led move.   I think there may be more to the story.   Why does Nico care if Luka gets the super max or not.  I mean you can make the case, he has much more value after that.   Time will tell.

I floated the idea that the move was a directive from the ownership.   I had no proof.   Just someone in finance who was said to have a business relationship with a Clipper minority owner.   This guy was told that this came from Rick Welts who had no idea what he was walking into.  I said it at the time, it is probably fan fantasy.   It was just what someone told me though.

[FireNicoHarrison]

If really Nico didn't like Luka and he wanted to punish him then he would have sent him to Minnesota, Utah or Charlotte!
Not in the bigger market in the league!

Collusion from buddies plus a business agreement Buss-Dumont.
That's it. Clear and simple.

[hakeemfaan]

Ha.  I think we are all looking for the whys.  So far the reporting seems to suggest this was a Nico led move.   I think there may be more to the story.   Why does Nico care if Luka gets the super max or not.  I mean you can make the case, he has much more value after that.   Time will tell.

I floated the idea that the move was a directive from the ownership.   I had no proof.   Just someone in finance who was said to have a business relationship with a Clipper minority owner.   This guy was told that this came from Rick Welts who had no idea what he was walking into.  I said it at the time, it is probably fan fantasy.   It was just what someone told me though.

This was not in response to your post. Seeing much more lately on X.  Wonder if it’s Nico’ PR firm or folks trying to rationalize something that logically doesn’t make sense. 

I agree though that just using Nico as the main reason is giving a pass to Dumont. Both of them failed miserably.  The thing that makes it so difficult is that it has never happened and will never happen again where a generational player in his prime, coming off a Finals run, having expressed no desire to move on, having no off the court scandal,  will be shipped for pennies on the dollar.  It will never happen again because it doesn’t make any sense.  Yet it happened to us.

[ThisIStheYear]

Nico has to be gone after the season, whether he's fired or he quits.  Ownership needs to try to show the fanbase that they are at least pretending to care, and Nico can't even show his face in public.  If for no other reason that Nico and his family can't live any type of ordinary life while he's in this role, he needs to go.

More than that. They need to bring in a slam dunk replacement, someone with unquestioned credentials and skins on the wall.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I see a new narrative more and more how it was mostly Dumont and how Nico was the fall guy.

A few problems with that. Nico and Luka’s camp have apparently been going at  each other for a while with Nico removing a lot of insiders who he felt were Luka’s guys.  That is not on Dumont.  Even if Dumont said he didn’t want to pay the supermax how much of it was Nico constantly feeding into Dumont’s ears that it would hamstring the franchise going forward given Luka’s conditioning issues!?  Did Dumont force Nico to be almost gleeful in that only press conference he had following the trade?  Did Dumont force Nico to write a dumb letter where he was praising his own work ethic and comparing himself to a generational star as if that star got there without any work ethic?  Another thing lost in that presser was Nico dismissing the injury that AD was going through and saying he expects the medical reports to be ok. So he made the deal without even knowing the extent of the injury?  Especially for an older player who has never been the healthiest?  Did Nico do his due diligence even if his hands were forced?

I am not excusing Luka. Seeing that video reminded me how skinny he was. He is fat now. That is solely on him. However he is also an offensive savant and just like Harden is doing even now, he will put up huge numbers even 5 years from now because his game is based on balance and strength than raw speed.  Nico was correct about his reasons to be frustrated with Luka. Even many of us fans were. It’s just that unlike us fans he didn’t evaluate the flip side correctly. Luka is not AD. Luka is not even Harden.  This is a generational level offensive talent and the whole thing should have been dealt much better. In hoops, organizations don’t win titles. Generational talents do. Even Riley has struggled after taking a stance against Bron despite that one Finals run. GMs and owners should not bend over backwards to every whim of players but they shouldn’t be arrogant either and think of players as just movable parts. Especially not when you have a generational talent in the mix.

Maybe I'm missing something because he didn't look fat to me the other night. He's lost that pudginess he had earlier this year. At least to me. He's never going to be svelte.

[BolsDamols]

Old Luka is back boys. gets to the rim so easily now, and is actually looking to score. excited for the playoffs!

[myconsumerclub]

Dumonts do not love basketball it is the $$$ that attracted them and that alone. They do not care what the team looks like in 5 or 6 years they may sell it by then.

[myconsumerclub]

Luka should go where he can win a ring and they can pay him the most money because the owners showed him that $$$ is what matters in this league.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Dumonts do not love basketball it is the $$$ that attracted them and that alone. They do not care what the team looks like in 5 or 6 years they may sell it by then.

Dumont is just a puppet who destroy the value of the team and the marketing around it, the Adelsons will cut his head very soon.

He and Harrison sold the franchise for own business but they can't survive , the really owners are not so happy to lose $$$. Trust me.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Great move for the league... Well done Nico.

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[vfromlmf]

I'm surprised Fire Nico t-shirts didn't make this list.

I'll bet Fire Nico has outsold AD's Mavs jersey 100 to 1

[david75090]

The trade spurred all the Luka jersey sales. Laker jerseys in LA and Dallas. In Dallas, had Luka stayed, folks already had Luka jerseys. NBA popularity was down, now it's up, at least in LA. Not in Dallas. In my opinion.

[vfromlmf]

[Knutsen]

The trade spurred all the Luka jersey sales. Laker jerseys in LA and Dallas. In Dallas, had Luka stayed, folks already had Luka jerseys. NBA popularity was down, now it's up, at least in LA. Not in Dallas. In my opinion.

It‘s the perfect combination of probably the league‘s biggest international star and the league‘s most popular franchise globally. In the US it might be close in popularity, but internationally it’s clearly the Lakers followed by the Knicks and no other team comes close. Because it’s not just about basketball, but California dreaming - and Big Apple dreaming, so to say. So I guess Luka will continue to stay at the top the next seasons.