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Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison, along with the team's CEO Rick Welts, addressed the media in a private roundtable discussion on Monday for the first time since trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers. 

Harrison said he has no regrets trading the Mavs' superstar, despite backlash not only across the sports world but among Dallas fans.

"There's no regrets on the trade," Harrison said during a round table discussion. "Part of it is doing the best thing for the Mavs."

Harrison said he believes the team post-trade, which was intended to be on the floor before all of the injuries, is a "championship team." He added that once everyone is at full strength, the team will have one of the strongest frontlines in the NBA. 

Harrison said every trade he's done has been met with scrutiny. 

Since Doncic's trade, fans have shared their outrage online, outside and inside the team's home arena, American Airlines Center, holding signs and shouting "fire Nico."

Harrison believes that Doncic is extremely talented, but doubled down in saying the trade "was the best decision going forward." 

Welts said in his 47 years in his role, he's never seen a more passionate fanbase than Dallas. "We hear them. It's on us to win back their trust," he said. "This story is unfinished. We understand the pain." 

But Welts said he's optimistic for the future of the franchise. 

Doncic, who played in his first game in Dallas since his trade last week, was emotional on his return. He entered the AAC to cheers and T-shirts with "Hvala za vse" across the front, which translates to "thank you for everything." 

He was also brought to tears when a tribute video of his time with the Mavs played after the rest of the Lakers' starting lineup had been introduced.

Doncic had been the face of the Mavs, and he was the NBA scoring champion last season when Dallas made it to the NBA Finals. The 2019 rookie of the year had two seasons left on his contract before the trade in February 2025, in a package that brought Anthony Davis to Dallas.

Following Doncic's return to Dallas, he told reporters he had a little more closure. Sadly, Mavs fans… he, too, has to turn the page.

"I spent a lot of time here. Great moments," Doncic said. "But … I got to focus on different things now."

41 comments

  6. I, too, hide in tunnels and hold private press conferences with no cameras allowed when I have no regrets about something. That’s a completely normal way to live life.

  8. Idk why anyone expected him to say anything different

    He’s gonna continue to act like it “would’ve” worked if everyone was healthy over the next however many years until this thing is completely over, when in reality any idiot off the street could’ve told you there was never gonna be a “if everyone was healthy” for a team that features 32+ year old kyrie and ad

  9. If they want to die on that hill, go for it.

    But the return they got is inexcusable.

  10. Ofcourse he’ll use the injuries as an excuse lol. Anything to convince himself I guess.

  11. What is he going to say?

    “I regret everything, Rob blocked me, please, someone get a hold of him so we can revert all of it.”

  14. What’s the purpose of holding a secret press conference to say all this right before play-in?

  17. Doing a no mic, no video, invite-only for your second interview since the trade and stating “no regrets” is certainly a decision

  19. Homestly why have this super-secret press conference right before a very important game??

  22. what a brave guy to say this to a room of a couple reporters with no camera or mics

  23. One of the most tragic and unnecessary downfalls of a franchise literally a piece a way from a championship. Sorry *this fool and the owners ruined everything mavs bros. 

  24. >”There’s no regrets on the trade,” Harrison said during a round table discussion. “Part of it is doing the best thing for the Mavs.”

    Why is doing the best thing for the Mavs only part of the justification for the trade? Shouldn’t that be his only concern?

  25. Like I said it’s crazy seeing coaches and GM getting fired already yet Nick at home sleeping warm and comfy at night with a grin while holding onto his soft plush teddy bear and sucking on his thumb is wild

  27. “Once everyone is at full strength” is equivalent to me saying I’m going on a date with Dua Lipa once she reads my DMs

    Aka not happening

  28. Bro what the fuck are you on about. I cant believe that theres a part of me that thought “hey maybe he doesnt want cameras and recordings because hes gonna eat a little crow and doesnt want a million memes made about it” but nah hes just still on the same bullshit.

  31. There’s genuinely no conspiracy here. He’s just a moron. Ownership is complicit too but anyone defending Nico is insane.

  33. “contrary to very popular public opinion, I am claiming I am not the dumbest man in sports”

  34. Someone paint a yellow streak on Nico! I’ve never seen such a dirty coward in my lifetime.

  36. Realistically, the Mavs next 12-18 months are going to be no Kyrie while he rehabs his ACL injury, after which he’ll be a free agent, while an injury prone AD shoulders the majority of the load until he’s hurt again. I’m not wishing that on AD, I’m just going off of his recent history. Outside of that, no free agent is going to come in and want to be a clown in this circus and they have to hope they hit on their mid-lottery pick and Naji Marshall continues to develop. Meanwhile, other teams in the West that have been bad recently, are going to be better, like the Spurs, so I don’t think the Mavs even have hope for the play-in. So maybe they tank next year for a high pick in a deep draft, where they have the chance to get someone that can start to change the narrative. Seriously, we are years away from the dust settling on this, if you’re a Mavs fan, I just don’t see how you feel good about any of this, any time soon.

  37. Is this the same guy who F ed up Steph Curry’s Nike presentation?

    Guess if you’re stupid and arrogant, you just double down. Like Donny Trump.

    🤣

  38. THE STORY IS NOT “UNFINISHED” YOU PRICK. You still don’t fucking get it. A ring won’t justify what you did. We aren’t getting Luka back. We wanted to win WITH him. We loved him. And he loved us. There was a human connection fostered with a culture of more than 20 years that a clueless inept millionaire like you can’t seem to grasp.

    Fuck you. Fire Nico. Sell the team.

  40. Man. If the Lakers win the Finals this season, it will be the same as the Giants letting Saquon walk so that he can win a championship with the Eagles.

  41. I just feel for the Mavs fans most of all. It’s fun to shit on other fans when it comes to the game but this feels different.. like picking on the kid who’s parents just passed, it doesn’t feel right.

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