The person who takes the public fall isn’t necessarily the one who made the final call, is it? Just ask Nico Harrison. When the bombshell of Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis’ trade was announced, the basketball world collectively gasped. And why not? They decided to let a generational star go. The damage was too much. The implications for the future did not seem promising at all, but nobody sheltered the blame and acted coy. Harrison’s name was attached to every headline. Facing the brunt of what could be a $100 million disaster for the Mavericks.
But wait. Gilbert Arenas has a slightly different take on the scenario. He believes that Nico Harrison was just the middleman. And most parties involved, including young starlet Bronny James, also knew what was going on behind the scenes. He said on his podcast, “The fact that Nico still has his job lets you know that it had nothing to do with Nico. You know he’s just the one to get punished for it. You know you can’t throw dirt on his name, obviously. He’s just the middleman here” implying that the fact that he has his job, despite facing criticism, is an indicator of him being just the middleman and the fall guy.
“Everybody who needed to know knew…. J Kid (Jason Kidd), Nico, the owners, Lakers, Pelinka, the owner, LeBron. JJ obviously, then no name—one of the 15,” commented Gilbert Arenas. He further said, “It could be Bronny or Bron, one of them knew…Because at the end of the day, you still have LeBron there and the player has to mesh with him. Obviously, LeBron has an option out. So you don’t wanna piss him off. Then he’d opt out then you did this trade, and he’s gone. Whoever needed to know that was important enough to knew.”
The former Warriors guard implied that Harrison was not the one to be blamed entirely for the fiasco gone wrong, as multiple individuals had to know. This includes the superstar of the Lakers while also dishing out a stray to his son. From their point of view, the trade would only make sense if the two gelled and performed as one unit.
After the name drops from Gilbert Arenas, there is a clear picture of who the individuals involved in the deal are. The LeBron and Bronny part was just speculation. Whatever the true intentions are behind the scenes, speculations are to taken with a grain of salt. Now, let us check out the individuals who were actually involved in the trade.
The key figures responsible for the trade other than Nico Harrison
Patrick Dumont, the Mavs’ majority owner, fully backed Harrison’s controversial strategy. Though initially hesitant, Dumont was persuaded by the comprehensive package. It included Davis, promising young guard Max Christie, and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick. He acknowledged the potential fallout with fans while talking to CBS Sports and said, “If we lost any of our fans’ trust, it was hard and I apologize, but I hope over time, we can regain that trust through hard work and that’s our plan.”
On the Lakers’ side, GM Rob Pelinka was after Luka Doncic with remarkable persistence. After multiple offers that were paid no heed, Pelinka finally structured a deal that satisfied Dallas, parting with franchise cornerstone Davis while convincing the Utah Jazz to absorb Jalen Hood-Schifino’s contract to make the finances work.
Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts while watching a tribute video before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who mentored Doncic through his early career, supported the difficult decision. “Luka is special, but championships require sacrifice and defensive commitment,” Kidd noted, suggesting some behind-the-scenes tension, and the imminent arrival of defensive stalwart Anthony Davis.
All in all, there were contributions from all parties involved in the trade. Therefore, it was unfair for Nico Harrison to get all the blame. What do you think? Was the hate justified?
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