The Dallas Mavericks have fired General Manager Nico Harrison, the team announced on Tuesday, a move driven by persistent fan outrage following the controversial trade of superstar Luka Dončić.

According to reports, the decision was finalized after a Tuesday morning meeting between Harrison and team governor Patrick Dumont.

“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that delivers for our players, our partners, and most importantly, our fans,” Dumont stated in a press release.

In the interim, assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi will be promoted to lead the team’s basketball operations.

Harrison’s tenure came under intense scrutiny after he orchestrated the stunning trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 2. The deal, which sent the five-time first-team All-NBA selection to a rival just months after he led Dallas to the NBA Finals, sparked immediate protests outside the American Airlines Center.

In exchange for Dončić, the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. The trade was met with widespread disapproval, and “Fire Nico!” chants became a regular feature at home games, including during Monday night’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

In a letter to fans on Tuesday, Dumont acknowledged the team’s poor start to what was expected to be a promising season. “You have high expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you,” he wrote. “When the results don’t meet expectations, it’s my responsibility to act.”

Dumont’s letter did not explicitly mention the Dončić trade but alluded to the difficult period for the franchise. “I understand the profound impact these difficult last several months have had,” it continued. “Please know that I’m fully committed to the success of the Mavericks… Our goal is to return winning basketball to Dallas and win championships.”

Dumont, whose family acquired a majority stake in the team from Mark Cuban in December 2023, was present for Monday’s game. He watched from courtside as the Mavericks, now 3-8 and second-to-last in the Western Conference, blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead.

Sources indicate that Dumont approved the Dončić trade after Harrison argued that signing the superstar to a supermax extension was a risky investment due to persistent concerns about his conditioning. Dumont has reportedly expressed private regret over the decision since.

During Harrison’s four-plus years as GM, the Mavericks compiled a 182-157 record, highlighted by a trip to the 2022 Western Conference Finals and the 2024 NBA Finals. The team’s success was heavily reliant on Dončić, with a 135-88 regular-season record when he played, compared to 47-69 without him.

Following the trade, Harrison defended the move, repeatedly stating, “Defense wins championships,” and claiming it gave the Mavericks a three- to four-year window to contend. However, the centerpiece of the return, Anthony Davis, has been plagued by injuries. The 10-time All-Star has appeared in only 14 regular-season games for Dallas.

Davis’s struggles began almost immediately. He rushed back to play in the first home game after the trade but aggravated an abdominal injury, sidelining him for six weeks. He has also missed the last six games with a left calf strain. Further compounding the team’s woes, star guard Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending torn ACL in March.

After the trade, the injury-depleted Mavericks fell out of the playoff picture. However, a stroke of fortune in the NBA draft lottery saw them defy 1.8% odds to land the first overall pick, which they used to select top prospect Cooper Flagg, offering a glimmer of hope for the franchise’s future.