It has been nearly five months since the Dallas Mavericks stunned the NBA world by trading away franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
General Manager Nico Harrison became public enemy No. 1 overnight, as furious fans took to the streets and social media with chants of “Fire Nico.”
Yet now, Harrison sees a chance at redemption. And that redemption may rest on the shoulders of a 17-year-old rookie named Cooper Flagg.
The selection of Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has sparked hope that Dallas may soon turn the page on its painful Luka chapter.
Flagg’s arrival might be the fresh start Dallas desperately needs
Initially, Harrison placed his bets on Anthony Davis, acquired from the Lakers in exchange for Doncic, to silence the backlash. But that hope quickly faded as Davis suffered a serious injury in his Mavericks debut and was sidelined indefinitely.
Without their new star and already shaken by the Luka trade, the Mavericks tumbled out of playoff contention, leaving fans more outraged than ever and demanding front office changes.
Then came a surprising twist, as Dallas landed the first overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery. With that fortune came the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg, one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory. The choice was obvious. And for Nico Harrison, it might be the lifeline he desperately needed.
“I’m hoping so. I’m assuming so a little bit, maybe,” Harrison said with a hopeful smile when asked whether the selection of Flagg could finally calm the storm surrounding him.
Replacing Luka is an impossible ask. In six full seasons with the Mavericks, Doncic earned five straight All-Star nods, five First-Team All-NBA selections, and carried a scrappy squad all the way to the NBA Finals. But Flagg offers something new. A clean slate. A shot at building a different kind of legacy that can rally the city once more.
Flagg seems to be embracing that opportunity. During his recent visit to Dallas, he met with the front office and several players. Harrison revealed that the rookie felt welcomed right away.
“When he came here, six guys took him out to dinner the second night. So, I just think it’s kind of unique for a team that didn’t make the playoffs and six of their players are taking the potential draft pick out to dinner,” Harrison said.
“Our culture is a lot stronger than people realize.”
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