Discussing Other Teams' Moves - Part 8

[Dark Faze]

Aytons connection with Luka has been a lot better than I would have thought. Timing similar to what I saw in Dallas with Lively. More upside given some of the touch Ayton has too.

[closg00]

You’re ignoring the impact he has made on defense, he neutralized Wemby. For more on the Laker view:
https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/los-angeles-lakers/jj-redick-says-deandre-ayton-has-shown-hes-a-true-winning-basketball-player

He has an on/off differential of -15.4. Basically, the Lakers only play well when he is NOT on the floor.

Alex was -26,2nd worse after Bub last game, so I’ll trust the word of JJ, as the numbers don’t always capture the complete story.

[nate33]

You’re ignoring the impact he has made on defense, he neutralized Wemby. For more on the Laker view:
https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/los-angeles-lakers/jj-redick-says-deandre-ayton-has-shown-hes-a-true-winning-basketball-player

He has an on/off differential of -15.4. Basically, the Lakers only play well when he is NOT on the floor.

Alex was -26,2nd worse after Bub last game, so I’ll trust the word of JJ, as the numbers don’t always capture the complete story.

They certainly don't over a sample size of 1 game!

But Sarr's on/off on the season is +5.0, and one of only two among the starters with a positive on/off differential.

[payitforward]

Sarr's playing great, but you do have to be careful about on/off numbers, since it's almost always impossible to connect them concretely to the individual player.

In our one win vs. dallas, for example, Vukcevic played 7 minutes, shot 1-4, but was +11.

The exact same quality of play by a single player will produce much better on/off results on a better team.
On a good team, playing the way he is, Alex would have a whole lot better on/off than +5.

[dckingsfan]

I really thought Atlanta and Orlando made great moves and would be the two teams making the most progress this season. Yeah, I know Atlanta gets that unprotected 2026 FRP from NO. So, there is that...

I really didn't see Chicago or Detroit doing this well.



Edit: I also didn't see the Phoenix Suns playing .500 at anytime during the season - especially in the west.

[closg00]

Watch on YouTube

[PaulinVA]

Nico Harrison fired:

Harrison leaves Dallas in a tricky place. The Mavericks have a tentpole player in Flagg but don’t control any of their own first-round picks from 2027 to 2030, the result of trades Harrison made to strengthen the roster around Dončic.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6794592/2025/11/11/nico-harrison-fired-mavericks-nba/?campaign=15647665&source=athletic_breaking_targeted_email&userId=7030725

[closg00]

Nico Harrison fired:

Harrison leaves Dallas in a tricky place. The Mavericks have a tentpole player in Flagg but don’t control any of their own first-round picks from 2027 to 2030, the result of trades Harrison made to strengthen the roster around Dončic.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6794592/2025/11/11/nico-harrison-fired-mavericks-nba/?campaign=15647665&source=athletic_breaking_targeted_email&userId=7030725

The fan base and local media slowly roasted Nico over hot coals, this was inevitable.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Nico Harrison fired:

Harrison leaves Dallas in a tricky place. The Mavericks have a tentpole player in Flagg but don’t control any of their own first-round picks from 2027 to 2030, the result of trades Harrison made to strengthen the roster around Dončic.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6794592/2025/11/11/nico-harrison-fired-mavericks-nba/?campaign=15647665&source=athletic_breaking_targeted_email&userId=7030725

The fan base and local media slowly roasted Nico over hot coals, this was inevitable.

Sigh, to think it some teams have local media that will hold teams accountable and not be complete yes men to whatever an organization serves up.

Glad for the Mavericks fans.

[closg00]

Nico Harrison fired:

Harrison leaves Dallas in a tricky place. The Mavericks have a tentpole player in Flagg but don’t control any of their own first-round picks from 2027 to 2030, the result of trades Harrison made to strengthen the roster around Dončic.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6794592/2025/11/11/nico-harrison-fired-mavericks-nba/?campaign=15647665&source=athletic_breaking_targeted_email&userId=7030725

The fan base and local media slowly roasted Nico over hot coals, this was inevitable.

Sigh, to think it some teams have local media that will hold teams accountable and not be complete yes men to whatever an organization serves up.

Glad for the Mavericks fans.

In-fairness though, Dallas has not had a chance to run the dream with a healthy lineup, so it’s a bit premature.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

The fan base and local media slowly roasted Nico over hot coals, this was inevitable.

Sigh, to think it some teams have local media that will hold teams accountable and not be complete yes men to whatever an organization serves up.

Glad for the Mavericks fans.

In-fairness though, Dallas has not had a chance to run the dream with a healthy lineup, so it’s a bit premature.

Well when major guys you made moves for in Davis and Irving are injury prone, that goes into the calculus. Davis has has like one relatively healthy season in his past 8. Same for Kyrie if count the season he played 67.

That doesn't even touch on trading away a Doncic.

[payitforward]

Couldn't agree more! Trading Doncic was the deadest-brain move I've seen any GM make. At this point I'd be reluctant to hire Nico Harrison to bag groceries.

[closg00]

Sigh, to think it some teams have local media that will hold teams accountable and not be complete yes men to whatever an organization serves up.

Glad for the Mavericks fans.

In-fairness though, Dallas has not had a chance to run the dream with a healthy lineup, so it’s a bit premature.

Well when major guys you made moves for in Davis and Irving are injury prone, that goes into the calculus. Davis has has like one relatively healthy season in his past 8. Same for Kyrie if count the season he played 67.

That doesn't even touch on trading away a Doncic.

The gamble was that with the trade, that Dallas would be able to advance further than they had with Luka, but it blew-up the instant Kryie was lost, and as you point out AD was always going to be sidelined for stretches at a time, why fire him now as-opposed to when he made a terrible trade?

[Menace2Sobriety]

Acknowledgement of their mistake and step 1 to placating their fans. Nico sold them a vision based on a faulty premise and it’s failed, as anticipated by everyone but themselves, and Nico’s been held accountable as he should be.

I really don’t know what step 2 might be that would appease their fans tho.

[payitforward]

Watch on YouTube

I liked this kid when we got him in the trade that brought Poole.

His childish behavior (shoplifting at Target...) was astonishingly stupid. Still, you have to hand it to him for straightening out & saving his career.

Wish he was still a Wizard.

[DukeLecker]

Acknowledgement of their mistake and step 1 to placating their fans. Nico sold them a vision based on a faulty premise and it’s failed, as anticipated by everyone but themselves, and Nico’s been held accountable as he should be.

I really don’t know what step 2 might be that would appease their fans tho.

We can’t get over Dawkins crappy Deni trade. Imagine how we’d be if we’d given away doncic for Carrington?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Nico Harrison fired:

Harrison leaves Dallas in a tricky place. The Mavericks have a tentpole player in Flagg but don’t control any of their own first-round picks from 2027 to 2030, the result of trades Harrison made to strengthen the roster around Dončic.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6794592/2025/11/11/nico-harrison-fired-mavericks-nba/?campaign=15647665&source=athletic_breaking_targeted_email&userId=7030725

Without Kyrie and Davis being hobbled, there is no chance that would work out well for Dallas. I expected Jason Kidd to get booted.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Sigh, to think it some teams have local media that will hold teams accountable and not be complete yes men to whatever an organization serves up.

Glad for the Mavericks fans.

In-fairness though, Dallas has not had a chance to run the dream with a healthy lineup, so it’s a bit premature.

Well when major guys you made moves for in Davis and Irving are injury prone, that goes into the calculus. Davis has has like one relatively healthy season in his past 8. Same for Kyrie if count the season he played 67.

That doesn't even touch on trading away a Doncic.

Couldn't agree more! Trading Doncic was the deadest-brain move I've seen any GM make. At this point I'd be reluctant to hire Nico Harrison to bag groceries.

Trading Luka was similar to but more egregious than trading Chris Webber for old Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe.

Davis and Irving both have rings. However, Nico didn't factor in age and injury likelihood. Davis is clearly declining. How effective will he and Kyrie be after the All-Star break?

Nico Harris won't be around to see it. Not even lucking up on Cooper Flagg could save him.

[closg00]

Reminder, the Mavericks ownership approved the Luka trade.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

In-fairness though, Dallas has not had a chance to run the dream with a healthy lineup, so it’s a bit premature.

Well when major guys you made moves for in Davis and Irving are injury prone, that goes into the calculus. Davis has has like one relatively healthy season in his past 8. Same for Kyrie if count the season he played 67.

That doesn't even touch on trading away a Doncic.

The gamble was that with the trade, that Dallas would be able to advance further than they had with Luka, but it blew-up the instant Kryie was lost, and as you point out AD was always going to be sidelined for stretches at a time, why fire him now as-opposed to when he made a terrible trade?

But they reached the finals with Luka the year before and faced a stacked Boston team that was so stacked they couldn't afford to keep it together.

To answer the question, maybe as new owners they were going to give the benefit of the doubt, defer to the people who are paid to actually evaluate basketball talent, and let it play it. But as you said it blew up in their faces really quick because it was a terrible short-view and long-view decision. From what I know about the family that bought the franchise, they seem like they just have mountains of money (casino money?) and were hey I want a basketball team, not that they really knew a whole lot of basketball. I vaguely remember hearing about fears of the team relocating to Vegas but that could be a short circuit.

The press holding the front office, along with the onslaught from fans, told this new ownership we have an image issue. Harris also did himself no favors by essentially passive aggressively throwing Doncic under the bus on several occasions, in so many words saying he wasn't serious about basketball and that he wasn't disciplined, etc. Made Doncic look like a martyr, enraging their fanbase even more.

Through and through blunder of a move by Mr. Nico Harris, and he had no idea how to handle the fallout. It's almost more telling that he didn't have a better plan, PR strategy in place, to make such a bold move.

Plus you don't trade young for old, especially when it is an already established star. No no no no no!