Months removed from the trade that rocked the NBA this season and the city of Dallas is still reeling. Fans have expressed their displeasure with general manager Nico Harrison and Mavericks ownership at every turn, especially after trading away superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, the city's politicians are getting in on the Harrison bashing.
Former city of Dallas mayor, Tom Leppert, recently wrote a column for the Dallas Morning News where he went in hard on Harrison and the Mavs organization. Leppert held no punches in his article on this debacle.
“General manager Nico Harrison has tried to spin this in many ways,” Leppert stated in his column. "As a 'necessary pivot,' 'a reset,' a need to 'set the table for the future. His mantra that 'defense wins championships' seems to be where he settled to defend this mess.
“The Mavs management and ownership have every right to run their assets as they choose. But they must also acknowledge that the value of their asset is derived from this community, and this community is owed, in return, honesty and accountability for such actions. We haven’t gotten either.”
Former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert rips Nico Harrison over Luka Dončić trade
This obviously wasn’t just another NBA trade. Dončić was part of the community in Dallas, but as a generational player, this one hurts a lot more than shipping out any other player. You can really feel the anguish and heartache in Leppert’s piece that went all the way.
"Luka gave Dallas national relevance, unforgettable moments, and a genuine sense of identity post-Dirk Nowitzki. He was a generational pillar; the kind of player cities build around for decades. A generational talent you protect, support and empower."
We’re three months past the trade; the Lakers and Mavericks are both on summer vacation already, yet we’re still hearing from the community in Dallas about it. Harrison and the Mavericks messed up big on this one. While Harrison is the one who made the deal happen, he had to get it signed off by ownership, who were more than willing to get rid of Dončić.
Despite knowing this, Harrison should be on notice because the people of Dallas are speaking out and once politicians get involved, all bets are off.