Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[Mavs2021]

As bad as things are, I really feel if they were to just make the obvious move and fire Nico, everyone would breathe a sigh of relief and have some hope again.

... and that is how you know the owners do not care, are not very bright or both.

It´s standard procredure to fire the head coach, when he drags down the performance of the players. You have to be a complete moron to not consider that these players literally hate Nico; that they do not even want to try for this front office. They are human beings, too.. 

They were the West champions; close to winning the title. They were happy. They were having fun. They were together. Luka was making everybody look better than they are = EVERYBODY IS GETTING PAID. Now they are literally the worst team in the West and they all look much worse individually. And it hurts their bottom line.

[F Gump]

As bad as things are, I really feel if they were to just make the obvious move and fire Nico, everyone would breathe a sigh of relief and have some hope again.

True.

Unfortunately, Nico has somehow persuaded Dumont [apparently an even stupider human than Nico, as impossible as that seems] that the Luka trade was all Dumont's doing -- so no blame can be laid on Nico if it looks abysmal or if AD is not a star or the Mavs don't win big or it becomes apparent that the value obtained for Luka was pathetic. So I'm not sure how we get from here to there (Nico being fired), sad to say. Ugh

[burekemde]

ironically this trade will haunt Dallas even more (over the next decade or two), more than Hawks and Suns and Kings for not drafting Luka. You can be bad scouting talent it is somehow foregivable. But how in world can you have that generational player and know what you have and then trade him. Lakers will dominate the west for as long he is there.

[cow]

As bad as things are, I really feel if they were to just make the obvious move and fire Nico, everyone would breathe a sigh of relief and have some hope again.

I'm not sure that's true for me.  I'm not rooting for the Mavs to fail, but I'd be lying if I said I weren't happy that they are losing which sucks as I like guys like Naji and Gafford a bunch.  As washed as Klay often looks, I feel horrible for the situation he's found himself in and I feel really bad for Flagg who has so many things working against him in the midst of this terrible start for the team.  Maybe once Kyrie is back and we have some creation that doesn't make Luka's absence so glaring, but it's just hard to watch right now knowing what we gave up and how little we got in return.

[ThisIStheYear]

Agreed, so I’m not sure why you or anyone else wishes to keep adding to it.

The beatings will continue until morale improves. And we all know what it will take to improve morale. Certainly not watching this travesty of a team, which currently boast the worst relative offensive rating in NBA history. That’s crazy and true.  It’s like going from watching Picasso to living in a sewer.

[DL2RimRocker]

Not only did Nico give Luka away for basically nothing, he let Brunson walk for nothing.

It's tough to think about having a superstar PG and an all-star caliber PG who were both under the age of 25 just 3 years ago and now we have none and are having to go through this horrible situation.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I'm not sure that's true for me.  I'm not rooting for the Mavs to fail, but I'd be lying if I said I weren't happy that they are losing which sucks as I like guys like Naji and Gafford a bunch.  As washed as Klay often looks, I feel horrible for the situation he's found himself in and I feel really bad for Flagg who has so many things working against him in the midst of this terrible start for the team.  Maybe once Kyrie is back and we have some creation that doesn't make Luka's absence so glaring, but it's just hard to watch right now knowing what we gave up and how little we got in return.

I don't think even when Ky comes back, things dramatically improve. It looks to me like they need to shake the tree again and see what falls.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Hello to everybody, i'm back. Glad to see you all.

It would be easy talk about negativity or other stuffs that a lot of you adressed to me but i don't care.
At least no more. There are some bigger problems here.

I don't know if you are ready for this but Mavs have to tank (not so hard with Irving out and street clothes be street clothes), it's the best case scenario because it means Fire Harrison and a top pick in a very awesome draft.
Maybe try to trade for our own picks... Gafford & Naji have value. Even Lively if he can't stay healthy.

Next year with Coop, the rookie, Street clothes & Irving plus Max, Lively and other guys we can try to make noise in the PO. Our window is closed of course but i would like to see some Mavs basketball.
Please.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Not only did Nico give Luka away for basically nothing, he let Brunson walk for nothing.

It's tough to think about having a superstar PG and an all-star caliber PG who were both under the age of 25 just 3 years ago and now we have none and are having to go through this horrible situation.

Yes but now Silver has Knicks and Lakers super hyped. That's great for him.

[fifteenth]

Agreed, so I’m not sure why you or anyone else wishes to keep adding to it.

I get why people keep talking about Nico, Luka, The Trade, the awful ownership, etc. People come here to talk Mavs, and this is what's on their mind, and the poor performance this season just reminds them of how annoyed they are at the whole situation. 

I get it. 

I think back to Cuban's dismantling of the championship team. I went from forum "good guy" to forum "dark side" for years because I would bring up Cuban's crime any time I got annoyed at how the Mavs were doing. If I was the same guy from those days, now, I'd most likely be posting about Nico and the ownership all the time! 

Fortunately for everyone, I don't have as much time to be here these days, and Dirk isn't on the team, which kept me locked in after the post championship disaster. 

I think the only thing that would get my interest up again would be a sale of the team, firing Nico, starting a rebuild (if we somehow had competent ownership and GM). If our two injured old stars come back and put a playoff run together, I'd probably be a little interested, but that seems unlikely to me. 

Really, I mostly pop in every once in a while these days to see what my old pals are up to.

[Kidnova]

I get why people keep talking about Nico, Luka, The Trade, the awful ownership, etc. People come here to talk Mavs, and this is what's on their mind, and the poor performance this season just reminds them of how annoyed they are at the whole situation. 

I get it. 

I think back to Cuban's dismantling of the championship team. I went from forum "good guy" to forum "dark side" for years because I would bring up Cuban's crime any time I got annoyed at how the Mavs were doing. If I was the same guy from those days, now, I'd most likely be posting about Nico and the ownership all the time! 

Fortunately for everyone, I don't have as much time to be here these days, and Dirk isn't on the team, which kept me locked in after the post championship disaster. 

I think the only thing that would get my interest up again would be a sale of the team, firing Nico, starting a rebuild (if we somehow had competent ownership and GM). If our two injured old stars come back and put a playoff run together, I'd probably be a little interested, but that seems unlikely to me. 

Really, I mostly pop in every once in a while these days to see what my old pals are up to.

But we had soooo much powder, and it was bone dry.

[FireNicoHarrison]

I don't think they can go this way without major changes... Someone has to pay soon, Kidd or Harrison.
No escape. The pressure on the team is absurd.

[SleepingHero]

Agreed, so I’m not sure why you or anyone else wishes to keep adding to it.

Id rather people vent in here then let it bleed out.

This isn't ever going away until the Mavs are good again. And really good. And even then we're going to still bring it up like we did with Nash.

[KillerLeft]

And even then we're going to still bring it up like we did with Nash.

I'd welcome that phase. Hell, I'd welcome Steve Nash talk RIGHT NOW, in fact. 

I'm just sick of this place being a life support system for one topic and only one topic for 9 MONTHS STRAIGHT. 

Having said that, the team's start to this season has been so cartoonishly sad that I kind of get it again.

[ballsrchr]

"Those who do not weep, do not see." A line from a classic tragedy. I weep, and I see. Unfortunately the Mavs have more or less been a classic tragedy in the NBA. Until they start winning and/or make some positive moves this will continue.

There's still a lot of time left in the season. As the ultimate optimist I continue to hope for the best. I will also continue to hope that "nico" is fired. I'm not going to harp on it...but I want it...bad.

Am I happy with Kidd? No. But I'm not going to harp on it either.

Regardless of all this...we can't control what each of us say and think. I'm a total Mavs Homer. This is the last team I have to root for.

We have some very good players. Hopefully the rotation will get settled...soon.

I don't know what else to say, but, "....guys! Chill out!"

[F Gump]

"Those who do not weep, do not see."  A line from a classic tragedy.  I weep, and I see.  Unfortunately the Mavs have more or less been a classic tragedy in the NBA.  Until they start winning and/or make some positive moves this will continue. 

There's still a lot of time left in the season.  As the ultimate optimist  I continue to hope for the best.  I will also continue to hope that "nico" is fired.  I'm not going to harp on it...but I want it...bad.

Am I happy with Kidd?  No.  But I'm not going to harp on it either.

Regardless of all this...we can't control what each of us say and think.  I'm a total Mavs Homer.  This is the last team I have to root for. 

We have some very good players.  Hopefully the rotation will get settled...soon.

I don't know what else to say, but, "....guys!  Chill out!"

Huge gold stars to you for bringing literary quote (with philosophical ideas) here from Les Miserables. All of what you say makes huge sense.

[SleepingHero]

I'd welcome that phase. Hell, I'd welcome Steve Nash talk RIGHT NOW, in fact. 

I'm just sick of this place being a life support system for one topic and only one topic for 9 MONTHS STRAIGHT. 

Having said that, the team's start to this season has been so cartoonishly sad that I kind of get it again.

That phase happened so quick because the Mavs were good immediately following, and had a finals appearance (and should've had a ring) not just 2 years later.

If the team fell apart after 2004 and had to tank, I think the Nash debacle would've been felt a lot worse. 

The Mavs had ideally the perfect team around Luka and were poised to prove their finals run wasn't a fluke. They never got that chance. And now instead of high level basketball the next 3-4 years we are restarting all over again for seemingly no reason at all.

[KillerLeft]

That phase happened so quick because the Mavs were good immediately following, and had a finals appearance (and should've had a ring) not just 2 years later.

If the team fell apart after 2004 and had to tank, I think the Nash debacle would've been felt a lot worse. 

The Mavs had ideally the perfect team around Luka and were poised to prove their finals run wasn't a fluke. They never got that chance. And now instead of high level basketball the next 3-4 years we are restarting all over again for seemingly no reason at all.

I don't disagree with any particular point. I'm just trying to avoid the beating that this community has become. I understand and acknowledge that we can only work with what the team gives us to discuss, but...yikes.

[cow]

That phase happened so quick because the Mavs were good immediately following, and had a finals appearance (and should've had a ring) not just 2 years later.

If the team fell apart after 2004 and had to tank, I think the Nash debacle would've been felt a lot worse. 

The Mavs had ideally the perfect team around Luka and were poised to prove their finals run wasn't a fluke. They never got that chance. And now instead of high level basketball the next 3-4 years we are restarting all over again for seemingly no reason at all.

It's actually worse than no reason at all as it was GM malpractice that's had no ramifications which just exposes our ownership has  sunk to a new low (the fact that I miss Mark Cuban bends my mind).  Lucking into Cooper Flagg might have helped make some of Mavs fandom look past the pain, but the start of the season has probably undone that oversight.  And that doesn't even factor in extended a coach that was Carlisle parting shot to our front office.  Things would certainly look different had Kyrie not gotten hurt, but at this rate, the season will be lost long before he can make a difference.  Being a bottom feeder right now wouldn't be the worst thing with the landscape of the West, but we are really short on draft capital to begin with.  It's a snowball that started with Porzingis and somehow ended with us trading the very dude that this team was built for.  The moves that everyone has made are the type that get rules written to prevent them from happening again.  Even Dirk walked away from the organization which is unbelievable.

[fifteenth]

That phase happened so quick because the Mavs were good immediately following, and had a finals appearance (and should've had a ring) not just 2 years later.

If the team fell apart after 2004 and had to tank, I think the Nash debacle would've been felt a lot worse. 

The Mavs had ideally the perfect team around Luka and were poised to prove their finals run wasn't a fluke. They never got that chance. And now instead of high level basketball the next 3-4 years we are restarting all over again for seemingly no reason at all.

All true, except for one thing. We can't even restart yet. We're still stuck in the nightmare. Getting Flagg made us feel a little better before the season started because it felt like we could start over. But the season has brought reality back to the fore.