Dallas Mavericks general manager "didn't know" how important Luka Doncic was to the fans

Dallas Mavericks went from being NBA finalist in 2024 to not even qualifying for the playoffs in 2025. Their season ended last week: they won their first play-in against Sacramento King, but succumbed to Memphis Grizzlies. They had a very uneven season, but things took a definitive turn for the worst after they traded their star Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis on February 2, a day that will be remembered for a long time in Texas.

Mavs fans were so angry that they vehemently protested to Nico Harrison, general manager of the NBA franchise, that on Monday, during the press conference after their season ended, said the closest thing to an apology, acknowledging that Doncic was important for the fans: "I did know that Luka was important to the fan base. I didn't quite know it to what level", via ESPN.

Harrison did anticipate some outrage, but thought that a "championship-calibre team" providing victories at a high level would have quieted the rage. He thought that Anthony Davies, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II would have provided it, but the star duo of Davis and Irving only played together less than a match.

While it can't be attributed to Doncic's leaving (unless you believe in curses), what followed was a long series of injuries. Davis was out for weeks and Irving tore his ACL in his left knee, missing the rest of the season.