Ranking Nico Harrison's 10 greatest moves as Dallas Mavericks GM
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Nico Harrison is currently under fire, as the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks found himself on the hot seat after the bombshell Luka-Doncic-Anthony Davis trade. Although it remains to be seen whether Harrison is right, things aren’t looking so good, especially when AD went down for a while with an injury as the team struggles to book a playoff spot.
While this move raised many eyebrows, Harrison hasn’t exactly been terrible as a GM. Here is a look at Nico Harrison’s 10 greatest moves as Dallas Mavericks GM, ranked.
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1. Hiring Jason Kidd as head coach
The best move as a GM by Harrison was hiring Jason Kidd to serve as the head coach of the Mavs. Kidd had forgettable stints as head coach with the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets. However, after gaining some championship experience as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, it was the right move to hand Kidd the coaching keys to the franchise.
It’s worth noting that the former NBA player turned coach also won his lone championship with the Mavericks. He was also responsible for leading the Mavs to the franchise’s second Finals appearance, making him an instrumental figure on both occasions.
2. Landing a second star in Kyrie Irving at the 2022-23 trade deadline
After failing to punch a ticket to the 2022 NBA Finals, Harrison knew he needed more star power to supplant Luka. At the 2023 trade deadline, he decided to make a swing for Kyrie Irving, who was growing disgruntled with the Brooklyn Nets.
To make it happen Harrison shipped out Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick for Irving and Markieff Morris. Although depth was given up, Irving’s presence helped propel the Mavs to a Finals appearance in 2024.
3. Draft night trade for Dereck Lively II
Heading into the 2023 offseason, the Mavericks were dealing with problems on how to unload Davis Bertans’ lucrative contract. Surprisingly, Harrison found a way to resolve that by trading Bertans and Cason Wallace to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had just used their 12th overall pick to select Dereck Lively II at the 2023 NBA Draft.
The acquisition of Lively turned out to be a hidden gem for Dallas. His ability as a lob threat made him a perfect center to pair with Luka en route to the Mavs’ Finals run just last season.
4. Trading for P.J. Washington at the 2023-24 trade deadline
After sending shock waves into the NBA during the 2023 trade deadline, Harrison and the front office opted to make some final touches to their roster before heading into the 2024 NBA Playoffs. One of the most significant moves was trading for P.J. Washington.
Harrison gave away Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a 2027 first-round pick. Both Williams and Curry weren’t exactly panning out with the team. On the other hand, Washington turned out to be an X-factor for the Mavs in the postseason. His two-way play gave the Mavericks a chance to unlock a whole new dimension to their game.
5. Making a move for Daniel Gafford at the 2023-24 trade deadline
Aside from getting Washington, the Mavs front office also traded for Daniel Gafford. Dallas gave up Richaun Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick. The 6-foot-10 big man added more teeth to the Mavs’ front court. Like Lively, Gafford is also a lob threat. In addition to this, he’s also great at finding open spaces around the rim, making him a solid finisher next to the Slovenian star.
6. Derrick Jones Jr.’s signing in 2023 free agency
Nico Harrison didn’t exactly make head-turning moves during the 2023 offseason. However, he did sign Derrick Jones Jr. Jones was known as a dunker throughout the NBA. But to the surprise of everyone, Jones thrived in Dallas as a versatile defender. Possessing plenty of size, Jones was a nightmare matchup in the wings. Furthermore, he was also capable of defending out in the perimeter, hiding the defensive weaknesses of Luka and Irving.
7. Signing Klay Thompson in the 2024 offseason
Prior to the 2024-25 season, the Mavericks were one of the major winners during 2024 free agency. They caught a big fish by successfully luring Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors and completing a sign-and-trade six-team deal. The addition of Thompson fueled championship hopes, especially after being fresh from a Finals appearance. This gave Dallas a reliable marksman from deep with size. Thompson also added more star power to Dallas’ roster.
8. The acquisition of Naji Marshall
With Thompson’s signing, Dallas knew they needed more help on the defensive end. As a result, they made an under-the-radar signing of Naji Marshall. Marshall’s two-way play continues to be a positive impact for the Mavericks. Even with Dallas’ declining season, the 6-fot-6 forward has been a silver lining since the shocking Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis swap.
9. Quentin Grimes’ signing
Another signing by Nico Harrison during the 2024 offseason was the acquisition of Quentin Grimes. The 6-foot-5 guard was expected to be another offensive weapon as he’s capable of knocking down shots from beyond the arc while making an impact on the team’s perimeter defense. In a Mavs uniform, Grimes averaged a solid 10.2 points per game while shooting 39.8% from beyond the arc.
10. Getting Spencer Dinwiddie onboard twice
There are a handful of players who have thrived alongside Luka. However, not a lot could do it better than Spencer Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie was part of the haul received by Dallas as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal. Fast-forward to the 2024 offseason, Harrison inked Dinwiddie to a bargain one-year deal worth $3.3 million. In a Mavs uniform, he has averaged 14.1 points per game across all his stints.
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