The Athletic NBA Daily — "Mavs fire Nico Harrison"

Date: November 12, 2025
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Esperahenny, Andrew Schlecht, Christian Clark

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into one of the NBA’s most controversial front office shakeups: the Dallas Mavericks firing GM Nico Harrison, just nine months after the franchise-altering Luka Doncic trade. The hosts also recap the night’s biggest games—in particular, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dominant win over the Warriors and the evolving Sixers identity in the wake of early injuries. The episode features expert analysis from beat reporters Andrew Schlecht (Thunder) and Christian Clark (Mavericks).

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Sixers’ Surprising Early-Season Identity

Segment: 02:39–07:57

• Sixers defeat Celtics without Embiid, move to 7–4:
  The team has adapted impressively despite Joel Embiid’s recurring knee soreness (not just injury management) and Paul George having yet to play this season.
• Emergence of Tyrese Maxey:
  “[He] has far surpassed Paul George in everyone's mind at this point.” (Dave DuFour, 04:09)
• Fast-paced, perimeter-oriented offense:
  “[They] are the speedster Sixers now. They run and they are so fast, especially on the perimeter. … Maxey is such an improved playmaker.” (Esperahenny, 04:48)
  • Quinton Grimes, VJ Edgecombe, and Justin Edwards (5 threes, mostly in the 4th) spotlighted for their offensive spark.
• Center rotation is quietly effective:
  Andre Drummond made a key defensive play late; Adam Bona provides low-usage stability.
• Reflection and tone:

  “This is … a refreshing thing from Philadelphia. Sixers fans deserve this through everything that they've been through for the last 10, 15 years.”
  (Esperahenny, 07:57)

2. Thunder Dominate the Warriors — And Keep Surging

Segment: 07:57–14:39
Guest: Andrew Schlecht (Thunder beat writer, live from Paycom Center)

• Thunder hand Warriors a heavy loss; now 11–1 on the season.
• Chet Holmgren’s breakout performance:
  “Chet didn't miss a shot. … He's finally feeling comfortable with his three ball.” (Dave DuFour & Andrew Schlecht, 08:49–09:18)
• Teamwide improvement:
  “Everybody on the team has improved. And so now it's a matter of how do we … fit all of these different improvements into what we're doing?”
  (Andrew Schlecht, 09:33)
• A.J. Mitchell’s rise and ceiling:
  • “I'm getting dangerously high on what his ceiling can be. … We're talking All-Star.” (Esperahenny, 10:17)
  • “He looks completely comfortable … usually the game is so fast and so physical that it just takes them time to catch up. Not for A.J. Mitchell.”
    (Andrew Schlecht, 11:13)
  • Player comp:
    “He's a pinball. … He's elite at creating space by getting into the defender's chest.”
    (Dave DuFour, 12:36)
• Thunder resilience and schedule:
  Team won't have a back-to-back until January; talk of when their next loss might come.
• Light moment:
  “Shay and Chet sat the whole fourth quarter. … Shay didn't even do post game. He went home.”
  (Andrew Schlecht, 13:57)

3. Dallas Mavericks Fire Nico Harrison — Fallout and Next Steps

Segment: 18:37–30:13
Guest: Christian Clark (Mavs beat writer)

Immediate Aftermath and Fan Sentiment

• Fan unrest reaches a boiling point:
  “They held a mock funeral for Luka Doncic. … They brought Khalifa’s ‘See You Again’ playing in the background.” (Christian Clark, 19:07)
• Interim GM structure:
  Matt Riccardi (assistant GM) and Michael Finley (VP) will serve as co-interim GMs while a search for a new permanent GM begins.
• Team in a “holding pattern”:
  Emphasis on improving health (Anthony Davis), integrating rookies (Cooper Flagg’s strong recent game), and uncertainty around Kyrie Irving.

Why Now? The Timing of the Firing

• Management wanted to give Nico’s vision time:
  Defensive, size-first team built around Anthony Davis.
  “They wanted to give it some time … but … it was untenable.”
  (Christian Clark, 20:14)
• Public pressure influenced ownership:
  “You can't have PJ Washington going to the free throw line … and them continuing to chant ‘fire Nico’.” (Christian Clark, 20:57)
  • Kelly Flagg, Cooper Flagg’s mother, retweeted these sentiments, showing even family members were aware of the unrest.

Is Jason Kidd at Risk?

• No, per Christian Clark:
  “J Kid … has five years left in his deal. … I think J Kid is here to stay.” (21:43)
  • Notably, Kidd had received interest from the Knicks and was promptly extended by Dallas in response.

What’s Next? Rebuild, Retool, or Stay the Course?

• Asset situation is complicated by Luka trade:
  Post-trade, Dallas controls only the Lakers’ 2029 1st-round pick from 2027–2030.
• Roster features tradeable veterans:
  Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington highlighted as moveable assets, especially valuable to contenders.
• Rebuild around Cooper Flagg?
  • “Their timeline needs to be set up with Cooper Flagg. … This is the moment to sort of shift gears and change directions.” (Dave DuFour, 23:57)
• Fan relationship in focus:
  “Firing Nico Harrison was step one to repairing the relationship with the fans.”
  (Christian Clark, 25:25)
  • Patrick Dumont, Mavericks governor, released an open letter to fans alongside the firing, showing management’s acute awareness of PR issues.

Cooper Flagg’s Progress & The Rebuild

• Flagg’s rocky statline belies high upside:
  “One, he’s 18 years old … even LeBron was inefficient as an 18-year-old player. … Two, this has not been a good basketball situation. The dark cloud of [the] fluke trade has been hanging over.”
  (Christian Clark, 28:26)
  • Flagg’s role is shifting away from the failed “point guard experiment.”
  • “He's got an insane motor. Those guys always work out.” (paraphrased Doc Rivers, via Christian Clark, 29:09)
• Chemistry and hope:
  “It was great watching him up against Giannis … there’s a little bit of Giannis in him. … He seems coachable. … They've got some chemistry.” (Dave DuFour, 29:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Sixers’ new style:

  “They are the speedster Sixers now. ... Maxi is such an improved playmaker, and so in the crevices of the offense, he can find a Quinton Grimes attacking a closeout or VJ Edgecombe bursting through.” – Esperahenny (04:48)

• On Chet Holmgren’s progress:

  “Chet didn't miss a shot. ... The variety of shots, too. I think he's finally feeling comfortable with his three ball. ... Now it's just a matter of everybody on the team ... catch up to each other.” – Andrew Schlecht (08:49–09:33)

• On A.J. Mitchell:

  “He's a pinball. You watch the way he plays. ... He's elite at creating space by getting into the defender's chest.” – Dave DuFour (12:36)

• On the Mavericks’ fan response:

  “They held a mock funeral for Luka Doncic. … The mock funeral. I've never seen a mock funeral before. That was a lot of fun.” – Christian Clark (19:07)

• On the team’s direction post-Luka trade:

  “Their timeline needs to be set up with Cooper Flagg.” – Dave DuFour (23:57)
  “How do we repair this relationship with our fan base? This helps a little bit.” – Christian Clark (25:25)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:39] Sixers’ new look and identity
• [07:57] Warriors blown out by Thunder; Andrew Schlecht live
• [10:17] A.J. Mitchell’s ceiling and comfort
• [13:57] Thunder’s easy night; scheduling quirks
• [18:37] Mavs fire Nico Harrison: immediate aftermath and next steps
• [20:14] Timeline and rationale behind the firing
• [21:43] Jason Kidd’s status & organization stability
• [23:02] Team-building quandaries post-Luka trade
• [25:25] Fan relationship and PR repairs
• [28:26] Cooper Flagg’s progress & potential
• [29:45] Comparing Flagg to Giannis and future outlook

Takeaways

• Sixers have established a fast-paced, entertaining style in spite of superstars missing time—a much-needed breath of fresh air for their long-suffering fans.
• The Thunder look unstoppable, powered by major leaps from both centerpieces (Chet Holmgren, Shay Gilgeous-Alexander) and rookies (A.J. Mitchell).
• The Mavericks’ disastrous Luka trade and mounting losses forced their hand on Nico Harrison; the interim front office inherits a tricky, asset-poor roster but has promising young building blocks in Cooper Flagg and Derek Lively.
• Fan sentiment is a driving force in Dallas now, and management is focused on rebuilding goodwill—starting with bold moves and transparent communication.

For those who missed it:
This episode brims with raw honesty, fresh perspectives, and plenty of on-the-ground reporting. From locker-room chemistry in Philadelphia and OKC to fan-driven decisions in Dallas, it’s a can’t-miss recap and analysis of an NBA landscape still reeling from blockbuster moves and breakout stars.