"Mavericks should fire Nico Harrison today" - NBA analyst rips Dallas' GM, blames him for Kyrie Irving's ACL injury

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has faced intense scrutiny from fans and the media in the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade. The criticism has only intensified amid the team’s injury woes, with Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor adding his voice to the conversation.

On his podcast, "The Kevin O'Connor Show," O’Connor sharply criticized Harrison, blaming him for the team’s struggles in the wake of Kyrie Irving's season-ending ACL injury and calling for Mavericks ownership to fire Harrison.

"My main thought here is this Patrick Dumont, the Mavericks' owner, needs to fire Nico Harrison today," O'Connor said. "This injury is an opportunity for him to gain the respect and trust of Mavericks fans by admitting the grave mistake because this is all Nico Harrison's fault, all of it."

"Patrick Dumont allowed it all to happen. ... Dumont can take the first step in starting anew here by admitting his mistake, firing Nico Harrison, and hiring a new front office to run this thing and build it all back up again," the analyst added.

O'Connor wasn’t the only media voice to criticize Harrison’s handling of the team. NBA insider Tim Cato echoed similar concerns, noting that Irving’s heavy workload may have contributed to his injury. Irving averaged 39.3 minutes over his last 10 games.

ESPN's Rachel Nichols also weighed in, asserting that the Mavericks’ decision to trade Dončić, citing concerns about his injury history, has now come back to haunt them.

With Irving ruled out for the season and Anthony Davis still out indefinitely, the Mavericks, currently No. 10 in the Western Conference, are in danger of missing the postseason just one year after making the NBA Finals.

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Luka Doncic trade wasn't Nico Harrison's worst move, ex-NBA player says

Nico Harrison's decision to trade Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers shocked many. However, former NBA player Chandler Parsons suggested that another move might have been worse. Speaking on FanDuel’s "Run It Back" on Monday, Parsons weighed in on the situation.

"Not re-signing Jalen Brunson to a $55 million extension could be worse than trading Luka," Parsons said.

The Mavericks drafted Brunson in 2018, and he spent four seasons with the team. However, they declined to offer him a four-year, $55 million extension before the 2021-22 season. Brunson went on to have a breakout year and then signed with the New York Knicks in free agency.