The Dallas Mavericks were a trending topic today after team Governor Patrick Dumont fired General Manager Nico Harrison. This move comes amid a turbulent period for the franchise, whose Head Coach, Jason Kidd, has been guiding the team through significant roster upheaval and a deeply disappointing start to the 2025-26 NBA season.
Currently, the Dallas Mavericks hold a dismal 3-8 record, placing them 14th in the Western Conference standings. This puts them seven games behind the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder and just a half-game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans for last place. The poor start to the season, compounded by the controversy of the Luka Dončić trade, ultimately led to the General Manager’s dismissal.
Harrison had been on the hot seat since the highly controversial trade that sent superstar Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first-round pick earlier this year.
Dumont penned an open letter to Mavs fans stating:
“No one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all believed would be a promising season. You have high expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When the results don’t meet expectations, it’s my responsibility to act. I’ve made the decision to part ways with General Manager Nico Harrison.
“Though the majority of the 2025-26 season remains to be played, and I know our players are deeply committed to a winning culture, this decision was critical to moving our franchise forward in a positive direction.”
Cooper Flagg’s Unconventional Role and TJ Kidd’s Critique
The drama surrounding the struggling team was amplified when Jason Kidd’s son, TJ Kidd, weighed in on the role of rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg, officially listed as a small forward at 6-foot-9, has been pressed into starting point guard duties by Coach Kidd for most of the early season.
This public criticism of Coach Kidd’s strategy by his son comes amid reports of a long-strained personal relationship between the two. TJ Kidd has previously spoken out publicly about his difficulties with his father, Jason Kidd, stemming from the time of his parents’ divorce in 2008.
Flagg, who was the 2025 National College Player of the Year at Duke, has been known for his well-rounded, two-way game, with strengths in shot-blocking and playmaking. However, his natural position is forward, not the primary ball-handler. The decision to start the 18-year-old at point guard is partly due to injuries, including the long-term absence of Kyrie Irving.
Coach Kidd also stated that giving Flagg ball-handling duties now is a developmental move. Through 11 games, Flagg has averaged 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, including a career-high 26 points in their recent loss, but the team’s overall offense has struggled.
“Yeah, no I don’t know why he’s playing at the point guard. That doesn’t make any sense to me he’s not a point guard, I know that. I think that he’s a great basketball player and has an incredible future ahead of him and all that stuff. I wish him nothing but the best down there in Dallas, but yeah, no I don’t get it. I don’t get the decision making of any of it, but you gotta just control what you can control. Hang in there buddy, hopefully it will get better down there.”
The head coach’s son’s public critique of his father’s coaching strategy highlights the growing frustration around the Mavericks’ poor start and the unconventional role assigned to their highly touted rookie, as the franchise sinks toward the bottom of the Western Conference.
