Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic spoke on the recent firing of former Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, the person who traded the superstar to the Lakers in February.

Doncic, who was asked about Harrison’s firing after the team’s 121-92 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, preferred not to address the situation directly and declined to speak on a possible return to Dallas.

“Right now, I’m just focused on the Lakers,” Doncic said. “No further comments.”

On the first night of February, Harrison shocked the basketball world when the Mavericks traded Doncic in exchange for power forward Anthony Davis in a three-way deal. The move drew criticism and pressure mounted on Harrison, with fans routinely chanting “Fire Nico” at home games.

The Mavericks’ season collapsed: Davis suffered an adductor injury in his first appearance for the team while Kyrie Irving tore his ACL. Dallas slid to 10th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs after making the finals the year prior.

Nine months after the trade, the Mavericks fired Harrison after starting the season 3-8 and months of fan discontent.

Doncic, meanwhile, is continuing to make a name for himself in Southern California. He’s averaging 34.9 points per game this season while also averaging 9.1 rebounds and 8.9 assists. The Lakers finished third in the West last season and currently sit fifth with a 8-4 record.

Despite leaving the Lone Star State, Doncic said he still holds the Mavericks close to his heart.

“I thought I was going to stay there forever, but I didn’t,” Doncic said. “So that will always be a special place for me. I will always call it home. But right now, I’m focused on the Lakers and trying to move on. But obviously, always there will be a part of me there.”

Harrison became general manager of the Mavericks at the start of the 2021-22 season. During his tenure, Dallas made two trips to the Western Conference Final and one trip to the NBA Finals, eventually losing to the Boston Celtics in 2024.

Top draft pick Cooper Flagg impressed fans and everyone in his NBA debut Monday night, helping the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 106-89. The first-year rookie showed versatility; he posted ten points, six rebounds, three assists and one block in just 14 minutes. Flagg scored all his points during a two-minute burst in the second quarter. Coach Jason Kidd praised him for his defense, playmaking and composure in his first appearance.

Flagg’s scoring right now showed the all-around skill set that made him the number one pick of the draft. Beyond his offensive efforts, he made an early defensive statement, blocking a lay-up just over a minute into the game. This led to a fast break and a dunk. The energy he brought to the court set a tone for what he has to offer this season. His confidence with the ball and ability to read the floor made him look like a seasoned veteran rather than a rookie. He showed flashes of leadership, communication on defense and keeping the offense moving smoothly. For Dallas, his performance hinted at how quickly he could become a major part of their system.

His debut not only showcased his strength on the court but also his ability to seamlessly integrate into the Mavericks’ team dynamic. Played alongside stars like Anthony Davis. He did not try to dominate the ball; instead, he found a rhythm that complemented the team. His positioning and off-the-ball play allowed the game to flow naturally. Kidd emphasized, “that Flagg’s unselfishness and Basketball IQ” will be key for the team’s chemistry.

Flagg’s awareness and patience stood out throughout the game, especially for an 18-year-old rookie. He trusted his teammates, made smart passes and stayed composed under pressure. Kidd added, “Flagg’s maturity and adaptability could make him an impactful player much sooner than expected.”

Cooper Flagg’s summer league days are over, according to Marc Stein. The Dallas Mavericks are expected to shut down the No. 1 overall pick for the remainder of the Las Vegas Summer League, which means the next time we’ll see him in game action will be during the preseason.

Flagg played two games with the Mavericks’ summer league squad, and he ended it on a high note after a mixed bag debut performance. In Flagg’s second game, he racked up 31 points on 47% from the field in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. Flagg’s 31 points were the most by a No. 1 pick in the Las Vegas Summer League since John Wall in 2010, and was the perfect example of why he’s considered a generational prospect.

He knocked down a couple of 3-pointers, attacked the rim and showed off his mid-range game a bit, and while the Mavericks didn’t win the game, it was a positive way to end Flagg’s summer league time after a debut performance that by his own admission, didn’t live up to his standards. In that game on Thursday, in front of a packed Thomas & Mack Center who were intrigued by the matchup between Flagg and 2024 second-round draft pick Bronny James, the former Duke phenom struggled to score efficiently, going 3 of 21 from the floor for just 10 points, though he also did record six rebounds and four assists in the win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flagg’s second performance was far more telling of the type of player he is: one who can score off the bounce, can be an off-ball threat and someone who you absolutely don’t want to lose in transition, otherwise you’ll end up on the wrong end of a highlight finish. Defensively, he showed in both games how much of a problem he can be on that end, especially from a shot-blocking perspective, as he can use his length and athleticism to fly out to shooters on the perimeter to alter shots, or come over as a weak side help defender to get a block near the rim.

With everything Flagg showed on the defensive side of the ball, teams should be worried about the dangerous combination he’s going to create with the likes of Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford next season. Flagg’s offensive impact may take some time to develop on a veteran-led roster that’s already built to contend for the playoffs with multiple All-Star candidates present, but he showed in the summer league that he’s capable of filling whatever role is needed of him on both sides of the ball.

The 2025 NBA Draft proved an eventful affair. The first half of the lottery didn’t provide much in the way of drama outside of Ace Bailey ending up with the Utah Jazz, but things really kicked into gear as the night went on. There were numerous trades, more than a few surprising selections and in general, a lot of NBA draft night action.

NBA Draft Winners

International Prospects

The rise of NIL in the college basketball realm has, among other things, led to a huge hit in NBA draft depth, and it was really felt this year. The ripple effects of that are only just starting to be felt, but the 2025 draft showed the opportunity it provides for international players. Six players from overseas who didn’t play in the NCAA last year were selected and four were picked in the second half of the first half of the first round, including one absolute wild card in Yang Hansen, the Portland Trail Blazers’ pick at 16.

Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs & Miami Heat

The Mavericks are the biggest winners of the night by far. Against significant odds, the lottery fell in their favor, gifting the Mavericks the right to pick first overall. There was only one choice to make, and they made it, taking Cooper Flagg out of Duke. Flagg is one of the best prospects to enter the draft in the last decade and will be warmly welcomed by a Mavericks fan base desperate for some good news.

The San Antonio Spurs didn’t do anything crazy with their two first-round picks, but they used them well. They picked Dylan Harper at No. 2, as expected, and they nabbed Carter Bryant at No. 14. Both players come to the Spurs looking like great fits with their young core.

The Miami Heat’s selection of Illinois prospect Kasparas Jakucionis was seen as a possible high-end lottery pick at the beginning of the draft process, but his stock slowly chipped away as evaluators delved further into his game. Entering the night, he was one of the prospects who had a wide range of outcomes, but few analysts predicted he’d fall into the back half of the draft entirely. But he did, and the Heat are the beneficiaries as things stand.

NBA Draft Losers

Ace Bailey

Bailey’s refusal to work out or meet with teams, capped off by bailing on the Philadelphia 76ers a day before a planned draft visit, did not paint him in the best light as the draft approached. Then on draft night, Bailey got picked fifth by the Jazz, and ESPN’s Jonathan Givony immediately reported the Utah Jazz was not one of Bailey’s preferred draft destinations (which Bailey later refuted). He also immediately reported that the team will not be trading Bailey.

The Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans & Brooklyn Nets

The Phoenix Suns entered the draft in dire need of foundational players and armed with two first-rounders to do so, No. 10 and No. 29. So what do they do? They acquired two centers. The Suns picked Khaman Maluach in the lottery and flipped the 29th pick, along with a 2029 first-rounder, to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams. The Suns really needed to add talent in the frontcourt after shuffling through multiple substandard center options last season and then trading Kevin Durant ahead of the draft, but did they have to double-dip?

The New Orleans Pelicans jumped up 10 spots in the draft, trading with the Atlanta Hawks for the right to select Maryland’s Derik Queen with the No. 13 pick. That alone is not a terrible move, given the Pelicans need depth in the frontcourt to prepare for Zion Williamson’s annual stretch of missed games, and generally, the roster needs talent. Queen is definitely that, even if his fit as an NBA player isn’t as clean as players usually drafted in that range; however, the Pelicans traded their 2026 first-rounder to get the deal done, and questions have arisen on whether that was the right decision.

The Brooklyn Nets entered the draft with five first-round picks thanks to various wheeling and dealings in the last 12 months. It was a bit of a ridiculous cache, and pretty much the entire NBA expected the Nets to move off at least one, if not two, of those picks. The 2025 draft class was perceived as somewhat top-heavy, and even in a strong draft, it’s challenging for an NBA team to successfully integrate that many rookies onto a roster at once, regardless of how far the franchise may be from contention. The odds are not in their favor that all five first-round picks will work out.

Free agent point guard D’Angelo Russell has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Mavericks will use the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception to sign Russell, a one-time All-Star who averaged 12.6 points and 5.1 assists per game for the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets last season. The second season of the deal is a player option, according to sources.

There had been some thought that the Mavericks would attempt to trade out of their front-court logjam to find such a guard. However, popular trade candidate Daniel Gafford signed an extension, and the team is reportedly hoping to keep fellow 2026 free agent P.J. Washington as well. They allegedly considered pursuing Jrue Holiday on the trade market, but when Holiday was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Mavericks turned to the free-agent market and landed on Russell.

Russell is expected to fill Kyrie Irving’s spot in the starting lineup while the nine-time All-Star recovers from a torn ACL. The Mavericks and Irving are optimistic that he will be able to return early in the 2026 portion of the schedule, at which point Russell could transition to a key reserve role.

Irving agreed to a three-year, $119 million contract last week, taking a pay cut after declining his $43 million player option, which allowed the Mavericks to stay under the salary cap’s second apron and utilize the taxpayer mid-level exception.

The 29-year-old, who has career averages of 17.3 points and 5.7 assists per game, is emerging as the Mavericks’ primary target. He will reunite with his former Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis, in Dallas.

Mavericks officials and CAA Co-Heads of Basketball, Austin Brown, Aaron Mintz and Antonio Russell reached the new contract after free agency began.

There was no doubt who the Dallas Mavericks were going to take with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. Shortly after they were put on the clock, Duke star Cooper Flagg heard his name called onstage. Flagg was the top prospect in this year’s class by a wide margin after his sensational freshman season at Duke, and will join a Mavericks team filled with established stars that will be looking to compete immediately.

As he makes the move from Durham to Dallas, Flagg will also change his jersey number. After wearing No. 2 at Duke, Flagg will go back to the No. 32 he wore in high school as he begins his professional career with the Mavericks.

There’s a family tie to the number choice. No. 32 is the same number Flagg’s mother, Kelly, wore in high school. She wore it because Duke legend Christian Laettner was her favorite player, which created a full-circle moment when Cooper had to pick a different number when he joined the Blue Devils, as Laettner’s 32 hangs in the rafters at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

He switched to No. 2 at Duke because it also held personal significance, as he wore it to pay tribute to Donovan Kurt, a friend and teammate of his older brother who died from cancer shortly before Flagg committed to Duke.

“I wouldn’t be here without these people right here and all my people back home in Maine,” Flagg told ESPN while surrounded by his family shortly after being picked. They’re here for me, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Cooper will return to the No. 32 jersey that has been in the Flagg family for generations, and it’s safe to assume there will be a lot of No. 32 Flagg jerseys worn by the Mavericks later this year.

The days are counting down until the Dallas Mavericks can officially call Cooper Flagg a Maverick. The NBA Draft is on June 25, and the Mavericks hold the number one pick, and there is no question who they will be selecting.

The Mavericks have gone through a wild sequence of events to get to this moment. They traded the face of their franchise, Luka Dončić, who was beloved by the fans, to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline in February.

The Mavericks have suffered many injuries throughout the season, most notably star guard Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks made the play-in this season but missed the playoffs just one season after reaching the NBA Finals.

Flagg is a generational player who will turn 19 years old in December. He projects to immediately make an impact as soon as he suits up in his first NBA game. Flagg would drastically change the timeline of the championships aspirations of the Mavericks.

Having players like Anthony Davis, Irving and Klay Thompson means that the Mavericks are ready to win now, though a recent report from The Athletic suggest that the Mavericks intend on taking the two-timeline approach.

“It makes the window 20 years instead of three,” Mavericks assistant general manager Matt Riccardi said on the Take Dat Wit You podcast. “We’re trying to win it every single year, and the guys that we have, we felt like before this draft lottery, that we had a good enough team to win the championship. Now we get the chance to add the number one pick to this, so we’re ecstatic for that. But it’s business as usual for us and whoever we get, which the kid from Duke, as you’ve mentioned, you’re bringing in someone that’s won everywhere he’s been, who’s gonna walk in and be ready to go and whatever that role will be.”

As the distance grows from when superstar Luka Doncic was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, more details continue to be revealed.

On the Dan Patrick Show, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd revealed that he had not spoken to Doncic since the trade.

“I texted him that morning, and that’s the last time I’ve talked to him,” Kidd said.

When asked how Doncic responded, Kidd summarized. “I don’t think he was too happy. From the experience of being traded, maybe being surprised. Upset, feelings are high. But I loved the opportunity of coaching Luka. He’s an incredible person, and we all know his talent. He’s one of the best in the world.”

Additionally, Kidd told Patrick he found out about the trade just hours before it went through. He did not have a discussion with Mavericks GM Nico Harrison about whether to make the trade.

The Mavericks have been in the news yet again because of landing the number one overall pick in the NBA draft lottery.

Despite lucking into the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg, more details continue to come out about the Doncic trade, each one more jarring than the last.

The Dallas Mavericks’ front office and general manager, Nico Harrison, has been heavily criticized because of the decision to trade superstar Luka Doncic.

Despite just a 1.8% chance to win the draft lottery, it appears the Mavericks will have a new star to fill the void left by Doncic.

Cooper Flagg is the projected number one overall pick and will almost certainly hear his name called by Dallas come June 25.

The Mavericks finished the 2025 season with a record of 39-43 and with the eleventh highest odds for the right to the number one overall pick.

The Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz all entered the night tied for the highest odds at the first overall pick at 14%. None of them the top three in the lottery.

The future of the Dallas Mavericks has changed overnight. A starting lineup that includes Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and possibly Flagg is set to win now and in the future.

Fans were reportedly cancelling season tickets in droves. The Mavericks were expected to lose millions in revenue from the Doncic trade solely based on fan reaction.

With Flagg likely becoming a Maverick, many of these fans may reignite their fandom.

If Flagg is the caliber of player most expect he will be, what is considered one of the worst trades in NBA history could work in the Mavericks favor.

After UConn women’s basketball superstar Paige Bueckers became a Dallas Wing, some of Dallas’ biggest stars welcomed her to town.

Bueckers, considered one of the brightest young basketball stars, led UConn to the national championship just eight days before the Draft. However, the pick had been anticipated since November, when the Wings beat the odds to win the WNBA’s first overall pick in the draft lottery.

Bueckers has been a unanimous first-team All-American three times. She won the Wade Trophy in 2025, presented to the best upperclass women’s basketball player in the NCAA, and, with 19.9 points per game, she holds the highest scoring average in UConn history. Bueckers isn’t just good – she’s potentially generationally good. And Dallas is ready.

Every team in the metroplex, from the Cowboys to the Stars to FC Dallas, welcomed Bueckers to DFW in social media posts.

The Cowboys and the Mavericks each had video messages from players as well. Cowboys stars Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons represented their team, while Anthony Davis and Bueckers’ childhood favorite player Kyrie Irving spoke for the Mavs.

“Congratulations on being the No. 1 pick,” said Parsons. “Super extraordinary feat. Aye, I need a jersey. Can’t wait to see you and Arike [Ogunbowale] ball out. I think y’all about to change it around. Let’s go.”

“I just wanted to take the time out to congratulate you on being drafted, especially to the Dallas Wings,” said Irving. “I’m so excited for your journey ahead…So happy and proud of you…the way you carried yourself throughout all of your obstacles and challenges, and more so proud that you were able to turn the page on the chapters of this story that you’re writing.”

Irving’s message was a heartfelt one, and referenced an obstacle – Bueckers’ ACL tear, which sidelined her for the entire 2022-23 season – that he can certainly relate to. Irving’s season ended prematurely when he tore his ACL in early March.

For a city that’s still hurting in the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade, Bueckers is a breath of fresh air. While they’re still one year off finishing second-to-last in the WNBA, one thing’s for sure: the Dallas Wings will be fun this season.

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.”

The decision to trade superstar Luka Doncic has cost the Dallas Mavericks plenty of wins. The team is 38-42 and the tenth seed in the Western Conference.

The losses aren’t stopping there.

Team sources told ESPN that the decision to trade Doncic could cost the franchise nine figures in revenue. Ticket sales, merchandise and sponsorships have all taken massive hits as a result of the trade. Fans are canceling their season tickets in Groves.

If avoiding the inevitable super-max contract played a role in the decision to trade Doncic, it now appears the Mavericks will still face a similar, if not worse, deficit.

When Doncic returned to Dallas on Wednesday night, the Mavericks played a tribute video dedicated to his achievements with the team. While the video was well-received, it hardly mitigated the fans’ losses due to the trade. Fans in the crowd chanted “fire Nico” about Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison throughout the night.

To make matters even worse, the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Mavericks 112-97 behind 45 points from Doncic. Doncic finished 16-28 from the field with eight rebounds and six assists.

Poor management and injuries have completely derailed a season that saw the Mavericks start the year with sixth-best odds in the NBA to win the Finals.

From the moment Luka Doncic was traded on Feb. 1, people have been curious to hear the opinion of Mark Cuban.

He is finally speaking out.

Cuban, who was previously the principal owner of the Dallas Mavericks and still currently holds a minority share, is finally speaking up about the infamous Doncic trade. Cuban has made it clear that if he were still the majority owner, Doncic would still be in Dallas.

“Nothing more to talk about, I wouldn’t have done this,” Cuban told Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison over the phone.

Cuban’s response was similar to most NBA fans who were taken aback by the news of the trade.

In an interview on The Stephen A. Smith Show on Sunday, Cuban spoke fully about why he believes the Mavericks decided to send Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Cuban believes cultural differences played a factor.

“They look at the game differently,” Cuban said. “The guys that I’ve gotten to know from that region of the world are different. And I think that was what was not considered as fully as it should have been.”

Despite Doncic’s apparent flaws, he had just led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, and it was inconceivable that a trade could be on the horizon.

The Luka-less Mavericks are likely to be in the play-in, where they will play the Memphis Grizzlies or the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Without Doncic, who knows what the future will hold for Dallas?

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has been ejected for the fifth time in his career. The circumstances were a little strange.

Doncic, 26, was trash-talking a fan who was sitting courtside during the Lakers’ 136-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Referee J.T. Orr mistook the trash talk to be targeted toward him and gave Doncic his second technical foul of the game.

Orr also issued Doncic his first technical foul when he argued that teammate Jarred Vanderbilt was hit in the head on an uncalled foul.

Once Doncic was ejected, the game flipped on its head. At the time of the ejection, there was 7:40 left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers were up 108-107.

The Thunder closed the game on a 29-12 run to blow out the Lakers.

Doncic finished the game with 23 points on 7-15 shooting. He also had five assists and three rebounds.

The fan, Jeremy Price, is no stranger to courtside trash talk. During the series between the Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks in last year’s playoffs, Price was courtside, speaking his mind to Doncic, similarly to today.

Price told ESPN that he believed Doncic was talking to him and not Orr at the time of ejection.

“He turned around, and he shot an expletive back [to Orr],” Price said. “J.T. happened to see it, and at that point, t’d him up.”

For Doncic and the Lakers, a much-anticipated trip to Dallas awaits. For Doncic, this is the first game in Dallas since he was traded back in February.

Monday night’s matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets also featured Anthony Davis’ return to the starting lineup after missing 18 games due to an adductor strain.

Davis played 27 minutes in the Mavericks’ 120-101 win over the Nets after head coach Jason Kidd said he would be on a minute restriction, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal.

>More: Anthony Davis Practicing With Mavericks’ G-League Affiliate, But Is Returning Worth It?

The Mavericks had a rough stretch without Davis, going 6-12 after the stunning trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and falling in the standings. Monday’s win, however, improved their record to 35-37, putting them a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns (34-37) for the Western Conference’s final Play-In Tournament berth.

“You have to commend him for working to get back,” Kidd said. “This is his job. We can always talk about the future. That’s the balance that we have to look at. Tonight’s the start of him working towards hopefully playing the rest of the season, but we gotta remember he gets paid to play.”

Davis said he’s unlikely to play in Tuesday’s matchup against the New York Knicks but anticipates being back on court Thursday against the Orlando Magic.

The Dallas Mavericks’ injury woes are no secret. Days after the massively controversial trade that saw Anthony Davis go to Dallas, he left his first game with the Mavericks with an adductor strain. Dereck Lively II sustained an ankle fracture, Daniel Gafford sprained his MCL, and Kyrie Irving‘s season ended with a torn ACL.

Now, Davis and Lively are reportedly moving toward a return, but with the Mavericks already on the verge of having to forfeit games, it’s nearly guaranteed to be too little, too late.

This week saw Davis and guard Jalen Hardy assigned to the Mavericks’ G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, where they’ll be able to practice and scrimmage. This conditioning makes it likely that Davis is en route to a near return, possibly by the end of March.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks’ recent run of games has left the team questioning whether it’s worth Davis returning at all this season. The team has fallen to 33-36, including going 1-6 since Irving’s injury, clinging to the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. It’s unlikely, to say the least, that they’ll contend for any sort of real spot in the playoffs.

To Davis’ credit, though, he is reportedly “steadfast” in his determination to return this season. A return would help him build chemistry in Dallas, potentially allowing the team to salvage what’s left of a spiraling season, but also carries the very real risk of re-aggravating his injury.

Despite the lost season, it looks like Davis may return this month. But it remains to be seen whether even his return can ignite the enthusiasm of a straggling Mavericks fanbase.

The Dallas Mavericks received devastating news after Kyrie Irving, their star point guard, appeared to suffer a major knee injury in Monday night’s loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Further tests revealed that Irving’s knee injury was more serious than initially thought, with the Mavericks confirming Tuesday that he had torn his ACL.

Irving’s injury occurred late in the first quarter when he came down awkwardly on his left knee. With tears in his eyes, he managed to hit two free throws before heading to the locker room.

The Mavericks went on to lose 122-98, their fourth loss in five games.

Irving’s injury abruptly ends what had been an impressive season, as he finishes with averages of 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists. The injury also takes him out of the running for All-NBA eligibility and costs him $2 million in bonuses tied to his availability. His contract includes a $43 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign.

The injury woes continue for the Mavericks, as Jaden Hardy is expected to miss time with an ankle sprain suffered Monday night.

Dallas faces yet another setback, coming on the heels of last month’s stunning trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Anthony Davis, the focal point of the Mavericks’ trade that sent Doncic to the Lakers, played only three quarters before an adductor strain put him out indefinitely. Dallas was hit with more bad news as Daniel Gafford suffered a sprained MCL and will be out for at least six weeks, while Caleb Martin, acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers, has yet to appear in a game due to a hip injury.

With Monday’s loss dropping them to 32-30, the Mavericks are just holding on to the 10th seed, the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.

The strain between Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks is not disappearing anytime soon.

Tuesday night’s Los Angeles Lakers 107-99 win over Dallas had a notable spectator – Mavericks’ general manager Nico Harrison – just as more troubling reports emerged about Doncic.

According to The Athletic, “the people who witnessed Doncic’s last days in Dallas do not paint a flattering portrait of the 25-year-old’s professionalism.”

Included in the concerns were Doncic’s “taste for beer and hookah,” leading to fears that his health might result in a premature end to his career.

Seen celebrating a win that led Dallas to the NBA Finals last season, Doncic was drinking a beer when Mavericks’ executive Michael Finley took it out of his hands. Other videos emerged of Doncic smoking hookah, which LeBron James had joked about long before they were teammates.

Harrison, who facilitated the deal that swapped Doncic for Anthony Davis, had reportedly grown increasingly frustrated with Doncic’s conditioning and personal habits outside of basketball.

While Doncic shot three free throws in the second quarter, Lakers fans chanted, “Thank you Nico” with the TNT broadcast showing Harrison doing his best to ignore the heckling.

The Lakers’ fans weren’t the first to heckle the general manager.

Harrison faced taunts at an SMU basketball game on Feb. 12, while Mavericks fans were ejected from home games for chanting “Fire Nico” and displaying signs.

On Tuesday’s Hoops Collective Podcast, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon shared that Harrison typically sits courtside but has not done so at the American Airlines Center since the trade.

“I didn’t see him in warmups,”  Doncic said about Harrison, even though the general manager was seated on the scorer’s table, watching his pregame warmup.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Doncic and the Mavericks front office did not have any direct interaction.

Doncic finished the game with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had to be held back after getting into an argument with referees during a game against the Mavericks on Wednesday. Draymond Green was among the team members holding Kerr back, providing an ironic twinge to the incident.

Kerr’s frustrations with officiating during the game boiled over early in the third quarter, when he called a timeout following a 5-0 Dallas run. Going all the way to center court, Kerr then engaged in a tirade. Green, known as a highly confrontational player, joined several assistants in trying to get the head coach back into the huddle. Their efforts failed, as Kerr was given a technical foul.

Golden State got back into contention in the fourth quarter but eventually lost 111-107, sending the team back to .500 with a 27-27 record. Steph Curry scored 25 points with eight assists and newly acquired forward Jimmy Butler scored 21 with nine rebounds. 

It was not enough to take down the Mavs, who have been unexpectedly effective since parting ways with Luka Doncic and immediately losing Anthony Davis to an injury. Leaning heavily on Kyrie Irving is working for now, as the new leader scored 42 points in a demanding 40-minute showing. Dallas is 29-26, desperately clinging to a playoff berth in eighth place in the Western Conference. 

As Golden State looks to rediscover its identity, most recently adding Butler to better support Curry, it’s clear that the process is affecting many team members accustomed to dynastic success. Kerr has spent the majority of his coaching career guiding overwhelmingly talented Golden State teams to championship contention. It’s a distinct possibility that the effort to build something new, regardless of its success, is taking a toll and showing itself in the form of increasing tensions. At least Green was there to provide a calming presence to proceedings.

A week after the shocking trade that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, fan tumult in Dallas has not died down. In fact, as the news has sunk in, fans have only grown more resolutely frustrated – protesting outside American Airlines Center during the first home game after the trade and, now, bringing their ire to the jumbotron.

Fans weren’t shown on the big screen in the first game against the Houston Rockets, but they returned during a karaoke segment on Monday against the Sacramento Kings. That move proved a mistake: a fan immediately mouthed “Fire Nico,” in reference to Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, a slogan that has become nearly ubiquitous in Mavericks spaces over the past week.

That fan, along with others holding “FIRE NICO” signs, would be removed from the arena during the game to raucous booing from the crowd.

Fans also expressed their displeasure with other members of the ownership group, booing Mavericks governor and majority owner Patrick Dumont and even getting into a shouting match with former owner Mark Cuban. The movement has even gone beyond Mavericks games – students at an SMU basketball game chanted, “Fire Nico!” as he sat courtside.

The trade caused many fans to swear off their Mavericks, at least temporarily, and these new crackdowns haven’t done the organization any favors. Neither did Dallas’ overtime loss to the Kings, or new star Anthony Davis’ apparent long-term injury.

The Mavs’ Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving commented on the situation postgame, saying that they understood the fans’ frustration.

“You just got to give everybody grace,” Irving said. “To see the emotions come out like that over basketball, that just shows you that basketball is not just a game to certain people. It’s a spiritual experience. It’s a connector piece, and they watch their favorite players, and they want to see them forever. So, I run the side of just understanding where people are coming from.”

“I mean, people are going to say stuff, and that’s understandable,” Thompson said. “I was a fan, still a fan. If I didn’t agree with a trade, I’d probably voice my opinion too. That’s the beauty of sports. You go there to yell and be rambunctious sometimes.”

Most importantly, though, they emphasized the need for the players to block out the noise.

“It’s not our job to get deflated because people are upset,” said Thompson. “Our job is to convince them that there’s really great days ahead, not just for this year but for the next few years.”

That’s a promise that might be difficult to uphold, and not only because the Mavericks are injury-ridden. They’ve damaged their fanbase’s trust for good – and trust is a resource that’s hard to earn back.