Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison made a statement following point guard Kyrie Irving’s gruesome ACL tear on Tuesday, but his language caught the ire of Mavericks fans, who took his words as another passive aggressive shot at former star Luka Doncic.
Harrison began the statement by thanking Kyrie Irving for his contributions to the team and the city of Dallas, calling him the “heart and soul” of the franchise.
But as the statement continued, it became more apparent that Harrison was alluding to something else.
“His work ethic and absolute dedication to his craft, it’s cut from the cloth of greats. I know it, I lived it, and I see the same ferocity and passion in him that I saw in Kobe,” Harrison said in the statement.
Check out the full statement below:
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison on Kyrie Irving: “His work ethic and absolute dedication to his craft, it’s cut from the cloth of greats. I know it, I lived it, and I see the same ferocity and passion in him that I saw in Kobe.”
Full statement: pic.twitter.com/2msUzeyJtb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 5, 2025
It’s clear that Harrison did not share the same sentiment about Doncic, who he traded away for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. According to a report from The Athletic, the Mavericks front office took issue with Doncic for drinking beer and smoking hookah during the season.
The Dallas Mavericks reportedly had an issue with Luka Dončić smoking hookah and drinking beer, per @TheAthletic
“Make no mistake, the people who witnessed Dončić’s last days in Dallas do not paint a flattering portrait of the 25-year-old’s professionalism. They call him lazy.… pic.twitter.com/MgopdlCH2J
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 26, 2025
Mavericks Fans React To Harrison’s Statement
The Mavericks’ decision to trade Doncic was already under intense scrutiny, and Irving’s injury has only intensified the criticism directed at the front office. Many fans argue that Harrison’s insistence on moving on from Doncic, rather than continuing to build a functional roster around him, has backfired spectacularly.
Several Mavericks fans voiced their displeasure with Harrison’s statement on social media, including Mavericks podcaster Kevin Gray, who called this year “a season from hell”.
I am sorry, but it has been disgustingly to witness Nico Harrison to use the name of a man that passed (Kobe Bryant) to first bury Luka Doncic, and now PR on the injury to Kyrie Irving.
This man is disgusting, and continues sinking to new low’s
Fire Nico. Sell the team. https://t.co/8n33NVXM5I
— HeroOfTheDay (@Hero_OfThe_Day) March 5, 2025
“If this doesn’t give you any indication on how he felt about Luka Doncic and the way that he thought that he approached the game, then I don’t know what to tell you,” Gray said.
Nico Harrison, even when praising Kyrie Irving, sounds like he’s trolling everybody; this organization has known no peace since February 1st…🤦🏾♂️ #MFFL pic.twitter.com/OokvUGvU0l
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) March 5, 2025
Did The Luka Doncic Trade Contribute To Kyrie Irving’s ACL Injury?
kyrie had played the most minutes in the league for about six weeks straight pic.twitter.com/rL3q6KQh5H
— tim cato (@tim_cato) March 4, 2025
Irving, who had been carrying the load since the Doncic trade, played the most minutes in the NBA since mid-January. He averaged over 38 minutes per game between January 16th and March 2nd before getting hurt. No other player in the top five in minutes per game during that span was over 30 years old.
To make matters worse for Mavericks fans, Irving could still opt out of his deal with Dallas and land a multi-year deal with a potential NBA Finals contender ahead of the 2025-2026 season.
In the aftermath of Irving’s injury, speculation has begun about the Mavericks’ long-term future. Reports have already surfaced that co-star Anthony Davis could be shut down for the rest of the season despite the fact that Dallas remains in contention for the NBA Play-In Tournament.
