Initially, Donnie Nelson was Donnie Nelson’s assistant coach. Donnie became general manager in 2005. This is the position he will hold until 2021. His successor was Niko Harrison, who traded Lukadon Sic.
Donnie Nelson is a Dallas Mavericks legend orchestrating the 2011 championship. Nelson was the architect of that team and was a major move in many other parts of the franchise. This includes draft trade in 2018, acquiring Luka Doncic.
In 2021, Nelson parted ways with the Mavericks, and Nico Harrison took over. Harrison was an instant favorite because he made a savvy move, including signing Kyrie Irving. Since 2021, the Mavericks have advanced to two Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.
Unfortunately for Harrison, his decision to trade Donsic continues to stick with him. Doncic’s trade is essentially synonymous with his name. This led to a response, with former Dallas GM Donnie Nelson discussing trade.
Nelson was a beloved person with the Mavericks. Most of the legendary players only praised him. He always treated the players and staff with respect, which made them a huge fan. Harrison has plagued people with his moves, including letting go of Casey Smith, the team’s director of health and performance.
Nelson has always found a way to stay competitive, so he has built his team well. When Dirk Nowitzki was at Prime, Nelson always built the team with German in mind. Nowitzki was on the verge of retirement in the mid- to late 2010s. After seeing Nelson Pick Doncic, Nowitzki was excited to be involved, so he stayed for the 2018-19 season.
Nelson also tailored what fans wanted during his tenure as GM. He always wanted to do it right by his fans. Doncic’s trade shocked the entire NBA world, but Mavericks fans were injured in the movement.
“During my years in Dallas, we’ve always been thinking about what’s important to that community, and we saw that players are part of it. We went to our ATMs, took out the players, used him until he was most useful, and then dumped him.
“These things were sacred to us. Of course, this is the NBA, there’s a deal happening, and players come and go. But with respect, we need to understand that some players are even more important and even more important to the environment and the community.”
“It’s important to treat those players with respect, so that’s why there were so many disappointments after what happened to Luka.”
After the Don Chic trade, many in Dallas disliked Harrison. However, when the Mavericks won the NBA Draft Lottery, they still left as winners. They have won the Cooper Flag, the No. 1 overall, currently on the team.
Harrison has a vision for the Mavericks of Flag, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. Harrison has always preached that defense is the best way to the championship. This was the right move from Harrison’s perspective, as Donsic was a defensive responsibility. Luckily, the lottery draft favored the Mavericks.
In this new era, the Mavericks will be one of the toughest teams to face. Despite this promising future, Mavericks fans will never forget that Harrison traded legends like Don Sic. This trade left bitter feelings around the Mavericks organization, but it doesn’t go away anytime soon.