MAVS NEWS:

[Chicagojk]

Dirk from from downtown!!!!

https://x.com/TheSteinLine/status/1989480047191679039

[Chicagojk]

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/s/aEELRxDk4L

[mvossman]

I know Cuban was hands on at that time, but I believe Nico's title was General Manager and President of Basketball Operations. I'm not going to argue against the point that Cuban was hands on of course.

But Nico had all the power, except that he needed a "yes" from the ownership, when he made the Luka trade. 

I get that Nico has a lot of friends in the NBA. I thought about that regarding this topic. I guess I may falsely expect people to relay the facts at rather than misrepresent to protect friend. Factually speaking, this trade was Nico's baby. You don't even have to say anything bad about Nico just report, "Nico got fired by the fans for trading Luka."

Last thing. None of the handful of national talking heads that have called Nico the scapegoat, that I have heard, have said anything about the "fire Nico" chants from the fans. And they've said nothing about the fans being upset with ownership as well. 

The reporting may be based on "he's my dude," but it's still make believe.

I really don't think Nico had that much power.  The previous GM did not, and I don't know why a shoe salesman would have more.  I think Cuban was always the de facto GM and it was more about who he listened to (and it was not always his GM as we know from the fallout of Donnie leaving).  In my mind it was clear that Nico was brought in to help land free agents with his contacts, not run the show.  It was a crazy series of events (like Killer mentioned) that put him in that kind of unbounded power.  Nico must have done a hell of a sales job to convince Dumont he was the reason for everything good (I am guessing that was not Cuban's perspective).

[Chicagojk]

https://x.com/nationmffl/status/19894790...04202?s=61

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

I've seen way too many media talking heads say that Nico was a scapegoat. That's alternate universe talk.

There are some serious clowns in the media. They've spent the last ten months making a living s--- talking about Nico and the Luka trade. Then, the moment he suffers accountability, he becomes the greatest "sacred cow" ever. 

In other words, the fans are the only ones who are meant to suffer from this trade.

[hakeemfaan]

https://x.com/NotJackKemp/status/1989681779880423502

The above is the correct take.

At the same time, if you're on the outside, are sensitive to issues of race and are historically used to seeing minorities used as scapegoats, the easy to accept conclusion would be that the owner forced Nico's hand with the max contract coming up, because no one can outside can fathom that we had the once in a lifetime..heck maybe the first and only time ever...intersection of a clueless GM on a power trip and a dumb, first time owner who had zero clue about basketball that he was using Shaq as an example of work ethic and professionalism coming together to create the perfect disaster storm that they did.

I've not hidden the fact that Luka was not my fav player to watch but the timing and returns of the trade were so overwhelmingly ridiculous that I nor anyone else will ever be able to explain it. Any explanations that Nico or Dumont will give will never make any sense either.

[Dirknows]

https://x.com/NotJackKemp/status/1989681779880423502

The above is the correct take.

At the same time,  if you're on the outside, are sensitive to issues of race and are historically used to seeing minorities used as scapegoats, the easy to accept conclusion would be that the owner forced Nico's hand with the max contract coming up, because no one can outside can fathom that we had the once in a lifetime..heck maybe the first and only time ever...intersection of a clueless GM on a power trip and a dumb, first time owner who had zero clue about basketball that he was using Shaq as an example of work ethic and professionalism coming together to create the perfect disaster storm that they did.

I've not hidden the fact that Luka was not my fav player to watch but the timing and returns of the trade were so overwhelmingly ridiculous that I nor anyone else will ever be able to explain it.  Any explanations that Nico or Dumont will give will never make any sense either.

Luka is my 2nd favorite Mav ever. But if the return had included Reaves, Knecht, another first and swaps that’s something that could possibly be sold to fans. Especially with Reaves looking like a Luka starter kit this season. I mean I haven’t even been able to get myself to watch a Mavs game this season because of the trade still. I can’t think of any trade that has alienated a fan base more than this one ever.

[myconsumerclub]

Nico was a Puss he never had any balls to talk to Luka in the right way about his issues or told him hey fatso how about getting in shape and taking the game more seriously. If he had been a grown up himself and had enough testosterone to fool us into thinking he was a real man maybe he could have gotten Luka alone and had that conversation to put the fear of God into him so that he got off his dead ass and went to work on becoming a better player.

LA must have someone to do that sort of thing. We need to ask Shaq about that.

He would have tried that approach and saw how it worked first. Failing to do that he just took the easy way out and tried to flush Luka down the toilet because he lacked the testicular fortitude to be the grown up who could take on the tough love assignment of talking to a kid and telling them to grow the F up or maybe we can trade your ass for someone that will behave like a professional and be a grown up.

Is Luka still complaining to the refs and not getting back down the court still?

Someone had that talk with him maybe it was LeBron and that is shame if that is all it would have took but it just sounds like we had a bunch of scared little bitches that all failed to have the balls to talk strait with Luka about how you behave in the NBA.

Dirk was obviously being distanced from the organization as well so the one guy I would expect who I know should talk to Luka about it was not even there to have that conversation.

I think this team needs some testosterone injections that is what it really needs.

Do we need to start conducting man boob checks and see which players are turning into soy boys. Hey Dumont you ever get a look at yourself in the mirror. How about you start to work on losing some weight as well.

[Chicagojk]

I think we need to realize now that the Nico Vision has been blown up, that just adding Kyrie back to the starting lineup is not going to fix everything. It will certainly help. Last year after the trade we all said, just Kyrie as a creator is not going to work. If Flagg is not ready yet, the Mavs are going to need to look for another guy next to Kyrie (with probably Max off the bench). In time, I think Flagg will fill in this role. Not sure if you will get the full benefit of it while Kyrie is in Dallas though.

[Chicagojk]

If true, it certainly feels like this was something personal.


https://x.com/KirkSeriousFace/status/198...05431?s=20

[ballsrchr]

https://x.com/NotJackKemp/status/1989681779880423502

The above is the correct take.

At the same time,  if you're on the outside, are sensitive to issues of race and are historically used to seeing minorities used as scapegoats, the easy to accept conclusion would be that the owner forced Nico's hand with the max contract coming up, because no one can outside can fathom that we had the once in a lifetime..heck maybe the first and only time ever...intersection of a clueless GM on a power trip and a dumb, first time owner who had zero clue about basketball that he was using Shaq as an example of work ethic and professionalism coming together to create the perfect disaster storm that they did.

I've not hidden the fact that Luka was not my fav player to watch but the timing and returns of the trade were so overwhelmingly ridiculous that I nor anyone else will ever be able to explain it.  Any explanations that Nico or Dumont will give will never make any sense either.

I've gotta go with this.  I'm tired of the race game.  We'd be much better off if we could just look at each other and see another person.  For the most part I do, but this view has to come from ALL sides.  What needs to be done?..and how many hundreds of years will it take?

I'm not saying Dumont wasn't a dumb@@s...and that Nico didn't make one of the--if not THE--worst trades of all times.  I'm saying we gotta quit throwing that race card out there all the time.  It's NOT a trump card.  It's a joker...

[Kidnova]

I am a big proponent of Hanlon's Razer: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. Substitute racism for malice and the same point applies. I don't think race had anything to do with Nico's decision to trade Luka, nor Dumont's decision to fire Nico. Nico simply didn't like Luka's work ethic and wanted to bring in somebody he knew from his past experience.

[FireNicoHarrison]

If true, it certainly feels like this was something personal.


https://x.com/KirkSeriousFace/status/198...05431?s=20

Free to think that a GM alone can trade a player like Luka Doncic and call just 1 team. Sure.

[khaled1987]

I am a big proponent of Hanlon's Razer:  Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.  Substitute racism for malice and the same point applies.  I don't think race had anything to do with Nico's decision to trade Luka, nor Dumont's decision to fire Nico.  Nico simply didn't like Luka's work ethic and wanted to bring in somebody he knew from his past experience.

I agree with this.

And even if there was a bias, I think it was more towards American players or college system, against international players not the skin colour. And even that I doubt it, I just think he was stupid with an outdated thinking

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Marc Stein: Anthony Davis, who has missed 8 consecutive games has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful for Sunday's game against visiting Portland.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Marc Stein: Anthony Davis, who has missed 8 consecutive games has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful for Sunday's game against visiting Portland.

He's not coming back until Dumont clears him to. Even if his medicals suggest he can.

[mvossman]

If true, it certainly feels like this was something personal.


https://x.com/KirkSeriousFace/status/198...05431?s=20

There is no question it was something personal.  Nico is an idiot, but I think emotion played into that decision as well.

[Mavs2021]

Marc Stein: Anthony Davis, who has missed 8 consecutive games has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful for Sunday's game against visiting Portland.

If GM Cuban drags us to a play-in spot, I´m done.

[vfromlmf]

Shams says AD will be out at least 7-10 more days so................

[Chicagojk]

Shams says AD will be out at least 7-10 more days so................

It is pretty comical that it went to AD tried to come back into the game, then day to day, then Nico and AD wanting to play, and then here we are.

Personally, I hope this time also includes some conditioning ramp up.   Sort of preseason all over again.

I know things have changed drastically for the Mavs, hopefully for the better.  But all this stuff with AD makes you not believe anything they say.