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Lou Williams thinks fired Mavs GM Nico Harrison was a "Scapegoat" and now Jason Kidd will get the blame
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- Lou Williams thinks fired Mavs GM Nico Harrison was a "Scapegoat" and now Jason Kidd will get the blame
Ever since the Dallas Mavericks tarded Luka Doncic midway last season, they haven't been able to bring together a fully healthy roster capable of seriously competing for a championship. While last season was a campaign to forget, even in the opening days of the 2025-26 season, it seems that history is repeating itself as the Mavs have lost eight of their first 11 games and have slipped to the 14th seed in the Western Conference standings.
As a result, GM Nico Harrison has been fired. However, Lou Williams believes this move was inevitable, as all the negative aspects attached to the team were automatically being blamed on Nico, who was made a scapegoat and public villain. As a result, no one else's wrongs were being acknowledged.
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Thus, Lou believes now that Nico is gone, coach Jason Kidd's shortcomings and the lack of leadership in the locker room will be recognized by the fans.
Is Kidd to blame for the Mavs' abysmal start?
There is no doubt that J-Kidd is one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. But as a head coach, his approach is highly experimental and, at times, baffling. For instance, he began the 2025-26 season by using Anthony Davis as a mere three-point shooter, focusing on getting open looks from behind the arc.
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On the other hand, rookie Cooper Flagg was forced to integrate himself as the team's primary ball handler while the more experienced D'Angelo Russell started off the bench. Furthermore, both Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are used as mere lob threats in their limited appearances.
This is precisely what Lou highlighted after the Mavs announced the firing of Nico Harrison. He stressed the lack of a veteran leader in the locker room, who can right the evident wrongs, especially when the team is experimenting with numerous players sidelined due to injuries. Thus, Lou feels that now that Nico is no longer there to take the blame, Mavs fans will realize how the structure is built wrong on several levels.
"Since last year, Nico has become the distraction, so everything is going in his bag. So, we haven't held anyone else accountable because we have found "the guy." Publicly, when you find a guy, it doesn't matter whats going on, he's taking everything. All the blame is going in his blame-bag. That's why he's the only person under the microscope. Again, he owned it. When this all began, we stood out and he owned it, " Williams said. " So, we're yet to look at Jason Kidd, we've yet to look at the ral roster who's the ladder, the captain."
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The Mavericks need to get better
Of course, the Mavs have endured one of the worst starts imaginable, but all hope isn't lost. Both Davis and Kyrie Irving are expected to return later this season. If they can stay healthy and lead the team on a strong mid-season run, their championship experience could dramatically shift the Mavericks' trajectory.
However, for that to happen, the roster's durability needs to improve. No team can sustain success when its star players are constantly in and out of the lineup. Additionally, Dallas' pattern of injuries has not only disrupted chemistry but also prevented Kidd from establishing a consistent rotation.
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With Harrison now gone, the spotlight will inevitably turn toward other individuals, so every player needs to prioritize giving their best efforts if they want to save this campaign from being doomed early.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
