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Marc Stein explains why firing Nico Harrison is a short-term solution for the Mavs
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- Marc Stein explains why firing Nico Harrison is a short-term solution for the Mavs
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Washington Wizards , 111-105, in their second meeting for the 2025-2026 NBA season, avenging their loss on Oct. 28 and snapping their four-game losing streak. They improved to a 3-7 record, still ranked second-to-last in the Western Conference.
Unsatisfied and disgruntled with Dallas' horrible start, the fans remained united by one resounding clamor: to boot out general manager Nico Harrison , the man responsible for trading away Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers .
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However, considering the current state of the Mavs , NBA analyst Marc Stein strongly believes that there is no point in doing so.
"There are no easy fixes here," Stein claimed on the ALL-NBA Podcast. "There will be lots of hard work to do, even if a change is made."
A mere "olive branch" to Mavs fans
After the trade, misery set in and has spilled over into the new NBA season, as evidenced by the team's poor start and the fans' loss of faith. Meanwhile, the Lakers are off to a great start with Doncic at the helm.
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As a result, the Mavs' front office, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, is " seriously considering " Harrison's future with the team, implying a possibility of firing the GM. However, Stein is convinced that it would not save the franchise from its early struggles and from having a disastrous season.
Firstly, the team lacks manpower. Kyrie Irving is recovering from his ACL injury, leaving the team without a solid playmaker. The frontline is also thinned out, with Anthony Davis (calf) and Dereck Lively (knee) out with injuries.
Meanwhile, welcomed by negativity, Cooper Flagg , the top pick of the 2025 draft, has yet to find his rhythm and confidence. Head coach Jason Kidd decided to make him a floor general, instead of a forward, where the 6'9" Duke standout is clearly comfortable.
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"There is so much work to do to get this roster in a good place…How attractive is this job to potential successors?" Stein asked. " This (firing Harrison) will be an olive branch to the fans."
Dallas should embrace the misery
With its bad start already causing panic 10 games into the season, Stein believes Dallas should focus on things it can control. Simply put, he suggested that the team should seriously consider tanking.
The Mavericks have no control over their first-round picks from 2027 to 2030 . Because of this, Stein believes that it would be best for the hapless franchise to tank to make their chances of getting a higher pick in the 2026 draft more favorable.
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Luck was certainly on their side in 2025, as they only had a 1.8 percent chance to get Flagg. Perhaps this year, that same luck, combined with a losing season, could give them another great piece to place alongside their No. 1 pick and build a solid foundation for the rebuild of this team.
"The truth is, losing is what is good for the Dallas Mavericks right now because they have their pick this year," Stein explained.
"The Mavericks surrendered control of their first in all of those years to make moves to build around Luka Doncic . Now, Luka Doncic is not here and all those picks are out the door…You can't write this stuff," he added.
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Last year, the Denver Nuggets managed to succeed despite losing their coach and general manager. But that's because they had a solid roster and the best player in the world in Nikola Jokic .
What do the Mavericks have? An injured Kyrie and AD, an aging Klay Thompson , a still-developing Flagg, and a strong defense undermined by a lackluster offense – issues that could not be solved by firing Harrison alone.
One thing it would do is start the long process of rebuilding the trust and relationship with the fans – something the franchise will direly need as it faces a long and challenging season ahead.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
