Luka Doncic‘s return to the Dallas Mavericks came and went, and it was an emotional moment for the player. Suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers, Doncic went off against his former team, shoving it in Mavs GM Nico Harrison‘s face on their own home court. It became clear throughout the game that Doncic never really wanted to leave Dallas. That has fans piling even more criticism on Harrison. In the aftermath, Harrison decided to come out and clear the air, again.
Harrison held a behind the scenes press conference with media members on Tuesday, in a move that can only be considered “strange”. Accompanied by Mavs CEO Rick Welts, the media session was held behind closed doors, with only select media members invited. Those attending weren’t allowed to record any video or audio. It’s something that has rarely been seen before.
Was Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont the man behind Luka Doncic trade?
Of course, the press conference has been covered extensively. But in the aftermath, new information has emerged thanks to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who revealed to NBA countdown that this wasn’t Harrison’s idea. In fact, he was forced to do it.
Fans took the new information as a way to confirm a conspiracy theory that Harrison wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger on the trade. Given that Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont forced him into this “roundtable”, it could be evidence that Harrison is simply taking the brunt of the criticism for a move that came from above.
Overall, the whole situation remains incredibly odd and awkward. Thankfully, the Mavericks ended up winning their first play-in tournament game, so they might still make the playoffs with Anthony Davis playing a leading role. But the move continues to haunt an organization that doesn’t seem to do things right anymore.
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