Nico Harrison Cowardly Defends Luka Trade Behind Closed Doors

“Defense wins championships.”

That’s the motto uttered by Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison since the executive made the shocking decision to trade Luka Dončić out of Dallas for Anthony Davis. 

Harrison doubled down on that sentiment during Tuesday’s impromptu press conference with local media. 

Mavs Host Impromptu “Press Conference”

The Mavericks announced to local media less than 24 hours before the conference that Harrison and Mavs CEO Rick Welts would speak to the media for an hour-long session. In a bizarre twist, cameras and audio recording devices were not allowed at the conference. 

It was the first time Harrison faced reporters since his initial post-trade presser with head coach Jason Kidd.

“There’s no regrets on the trade,” said Harrison via ESPN. “Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future, and some of the decisions I’m going to make are going to be unpopular. That’s my job and I have to stand by it.”

It’s hard to believe Harrison actually meant what he said— it’s his job to defend the trade in the first place. The Mavs executive has had to bear witness to an arena full of angry Dallas fans game in and game out roar chants of “Fire Nico!” at every home game.

https://twitter.com/LakersEmpire/status/1910117225484496974

Those chants were the loudest when Dončić made his homecoming against the Mavs on April 9. Just four seconds into the game, the chants poured in from the crowd as Dončić went on to score 45 points in a Laker win.

Although Davis is a star in his own right, the motto “defense wins championships” seems to be a continued jab at Dončić’s work ethic on the defensive side of the ball.

This is a fireable statement. Targeting AD and only getting AD, a role player, and a bad draft pick. In the sense that making deals is his job, he got a bad deal. Fire Nico. pic.twitter.com/RpLTYH84ag

— Kirk Henderson (@KirkSeriousFace) April 15, 2025

‘Defense Wins Championships’ Motto Makes Little Sense in Dallas

The defense wins championships argument also doesn’t make sense when you look at the history of the Mavericks. Dallas has one championship in its franchise’s history, a championship won with a non-defensive superstar in Dirk Nowitzki surrounded by a great defense.

That’s the same setup Dallas had with Dončić last year, when the Mavericks made it all the way to the NBA Finals only to lose to the almighty Celtics in five games. 

Something just doesn’t seem to add up. It seems like the general public is still not aware of the true reason the Mavericks willingly parted ways with a 25-year-old superstar. Whether it’s clashing egos, chemistry issues, or not wanting to pay the supermax, the real reason Dallas sent Luka Dončić packing wasn’t because of defense.