Mark Cuban sold his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks in 2023 and seems to regret parts of the aftermath following his exit from decision-making.
Many decisions made afterwards involved former general manager Nico Harrison, who was let go in mid-November.
Mark Cuban regrets hiring Nico Harrison
Cuban spoke on a recent episode of “The Adam Friedland Show.” When asked if he regretted bringing in Harrison, Cuban responded directly.
“Yeah, in hindsight now, it was a mistake,” Cuban stated.
Initially, Cuban likely did not question hiring Harrison in 2021. Harrison’s first three years overseeing basketball operations were quite successful, including two conference finals appearances and a trip to the NBA Finals in 2024, which was the franchise’s first since its championship in 2011.
Nico Harrison’s decisions leave Mavericks facing tough reality
However, there is another aspect to consider. Cuban was still involved in key roster decisions that helped Dallas become competitive, with Luka Doncic as the team’s cornerstone. The hiring of Jason Kidd as head coach and acquiring Kyrie Irving were significant moves.
After Cuban sold to the ownership group led by Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont, he acknowledged that he no longer has real control.
Harrison made the decision to trade for Klay Thompson in the summer of 2024, which seemed bold at the time, but it has not yielded the expected results, particularly with Thompson at 34 years old.
Yet, this trade pales in comparison to the decision to trade Doncic. Dallas received former Lakers star Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and just one first-round pick in return.
If Harrison had sought better offers, the Mavericks could have secured a more advantageous deal. The defensive plan they relied on did not come to fruition.