Mavs Icon Nowitzki Says Harrison Departure Should Have Occurred Earlier
nowitzki-says-harrison-departure-should-have-occurred-earlier
November 15, 2025 — Former Mavericks star and current Amazon Prime analyst Dirk Nowitzki believes Dallas waited too long to part ways with head of basketball operations Nico Harrison, saying the move should have taken place last summer to avoid “negative energy” during rookie Cooper Flagg’s arrival.
“There were too many distractions,” Nowitzki said in a recent broadcast. “I didn’t want this black cloud over the Cooper Flagg era, but here we are.” He added that trading Luka Dončić after a Finals appearance “made no sense” to the fan base, which he described as “passionate and loyal.”
Nowitzki recalled the Mavericks’ 14-3 stretch leading up to Dončić’s Christmas Day injury last season and said supporters felt “robbed” of seeing the Slovenian guard complete his journey in Dallas. “It was very sad how that ended,” he noted. “Now it’s about building the franchise back up.”
Dončić Reflects on Dallas While Focusing on Lakers
Speaking after the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on Wednesday, Dončić told reporters he still holds Dallas “in a special place” but is concentrating on his current team. “I thought I was going to stay there forever, but I didn’t,” he said. “Right now, I’m focused on the Lakers and trying to move on.”
Davis Remains Out With Calf Strain
Anthony Davis has been listed as questionable for four straight games yet has not returned from a left calf strain. League sources told veteran reporter Marc Stein the 10-time All-Star will not play until the medical staff gives full clearance to team governor Patrick Dumont. Davis’ health reportedly became a sticking point in the days preceding Harrison’s dismissal.
Turnovers Doom Mavericks in Double-OT Loss
Dallas committed 25 turnovers during Friday’s double-overtime defeat to the Clippers, an issue head coach Jason Kidd said must be fixed. “If we want to win, we have to do better,” Kidd remarked. “The turnovers hurt us—especially in overtime when we didn’t even get a shot.”
Flagg Prefers Forward Spot for Now
After the game, No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg admitted he is currently more comfortable playing forward than running point. “Being a point guard comes with a lot of responsibility,” Flagg said. “I don’t know if I was ready for that right away. That doesn’t mean I can’t go back to it or improve, but lately it’s been better having someone else handle the pressure.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
