Mavericks’ GM Nico Harrison Doubles Down On Stunning Luka Doncic Trade: ’No Regrets’

In defending the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison kept repeating his motto: “defense wins championships.” The deal blindsided fans and led to constant chants demanding he be fired.

During an hourlong media session with Dallas reporters, Harrison and new CEO Rick Welts spent most of the time addressing the trade that sent Doncic to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis.

“There’s no regrets on the trade,” Harrison said. “Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future, and some of the decisions I’m going to make are going to be unpopular. That’s my job, and I have to stand by it.”

Harrison pulled the trigger on the trade just months after Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. When asked about the backlash and fans calling for his firing, Harrison pointed to the earlier trades for Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.

“Well, the beauty of Dallas is it is a passionate fan base. For us to reach our goals, we need that fan base. And to be honest with you, every trade I’ve made since I’ve been here has not been regarded as a good trade, and so sometimes it takes time. When I traded for Kyrie, it was met with a lot of skepticism, and it was graded as a terrible trade. You didn’t see it right away, but eventually everyone agreed that that was a great trade. When I traded for [Gafford] and [Washington] again, it was like, ‘Oh, he gave up way too much. These guys aren’t going to help us.’ Now that trade, you saw the evidence a lot sooner. So I think a lot of times trades take a little bit of time.

“But our philosophy, like I said, going forward is defense wins championships, and we’re built on defense. And this trade cements us for that.”

The Mavericks finished last season with the league’s top defense over the final 20 games. While they were defeated by the Boston Celtics in five games during the Finals, defense was not the main issue. Dallas allowed just 109.2 points per 100 possessions in the series—a defensive rating that would’ve ranked second in the league during the regular season.

Harrison mortgaged the Mavericks’ future—giving up control of their first-round picks from 2027 to 2030—while making a series of win-now moves. He expressed confidence in the team’s potential over a three-to four-year championship window.

“We believe in the move we made. You obviously don’t, and that’s fine. You’re entitled to your opinions, but we’re excited. … I think once we win, then that will change your mind.”