NBA reporter drops bomb regarding Mavs' strained relationship with franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki and minority owner Mark Cuban
It's a tough time to be a Dallas Mavericks fan, as the franchise continues to adjust to life after Luka Doncic. The Mavericks moved their franchise cornerstone prior to the NBA trade deadline back in February and have faced immense backlash from fans as a result.
Doncic wasn't only a fan favorite, he had won over the hearts of members of the front office and former players alike, including the likes of Dirk Nowitzki and Mark Cuban. Cuban made the call to trade for Luka Doncic during the 2018 NBA Draft, moving Trae Young to Atlanta in a swap that involved a first-round pick from Dallas.
The then-19-year-old joined an aging superstar in Nowitzki, who embraced the fellow European, quickly taking him under his wing. Fast forward seven years and an NBA Finals appearance, and Dallas elected to move the five-time All-NBA guard in arguably the most stunning move in league history.
The move caused a ripple effect in the organization, which acquired Anthony Davis from the LA Lakers, along with two strained relationships with Cuban and Nowitzki, according to Mavericks insider Tim MacMahon.
During an appearance on the "Hoop Collective Podcast," MacMahon tore into Dallas' front office, claiming both Dirk Nowitzki and Mark Cuban are no longer involved with the team after the move. This, he said, was due in large part to the team's new ownership and the management of general manager Nico Harrison:
"First of all, Dirk is completely turned off by this franchise. ... I asked, 'Hey, why not seek Dirk's input? Why not seek [Mark] Cuban's input?' He basically said, 'If they're not in the building, they don't know what's going on.'
"Stay tuned for the reason Dirk's not in the building and the reason Cuban's not in the building. Because Nico made sure he got his butt kicked out of basketball operations once that trade went through."
Nico Harrison takes jab at Dirk Nowitzki during press conference
During what's been one of the biggest public relations disasters in recent NBA memory, Nico Harrison fanned the flames with a bizarre post-trade press conference. He addressed concerns following the Luka Doncic move on Tuesday, and no video was allowed during the address, along with just a selection of hand-picked media members.
Harrison addressed the concerns of the fans and Dirk Nowitzki, seemingly name-dropping the Hall of Famer out of nowhere.
"My obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks, it's what's the best interest of the Dallas Mavericks, and that's the most important thing," Harrison said per Tom Cato. "Some of those decisions are going to be unpopular, maybe to Dirk, and maybe to the fans, but my obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks."
Cuban was quick to defend Dirk Nowitzki, sharing a clap-back to Harrison's comments with a post on X.
"(Dirk Nowitzki) is the Dallas Mavericks. Then, now and forever. No one should ever forget that," Cuban stated in his tweet.
Dallas mustered a push to the NBA Play-In Tournament, where they'll face off against the Sacramento Kings for a spot in the postseason.