Nico Harrison’s Gamble Backfires as Kyrie Irving Goes Down

When it rains, it pours.

Nico Harrison is amid monsoon-like conditions currently. The President of Basketball Operations for the Dallas Mavericks orchestrated arguably the most shocking trade in league history when jettisoning 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package including Anthony Davis.

Doncic has joined LA seamlessly — to the point where the surging Lakers are now being viewed as a legitimate title contender. Davis had a monster debut with the Mavs. He scored 26 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, notched seven assists, and blocked three shots in 31 minutes versus the Rockets. However, he then predictably got injured and left the game after aggravating an adductor strain. Davis hasn’t played since Feb. 8 and it’s anyone’s guess as to when he’ll be back.

To make matters worse, Kyrie Irving tore his ACL last night. He’ll be gone for the year. Couple that with the injuries to Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively Jr., and this team is a shell of the one it was supposed to be.

If only Dallas had a proven face-of-the-franchise type to lead it in the wake of adversity.

According to Harrison, the decision to move Doncic was a win-now play to have Davis and Irving on the same timeline. The thought was that the newfound Dallas duo could lead the Mavs into being title contenders for the next couple of seasons.

There’s only one problem, Nico…YOU WERE COMING OFF A YEAR WHERE DONCIC LED YOU TO THE FINALS!

The short-sided nature of this deal truly is magnified further considering Davis and Irving are out indefinitely — whereas the Lakers are now the No. 2 team in the West. Harrison’s decision to make the deal has been rehashed over and over, and it likely will be as long as Doncic plays at a high level for the Lakers (which could be for the next decade at least).

If LA somehow wins the title this year, Harrison may want to gracefully resign and seek employment in another field. The vitriol and angst coming from the Dallas fanbase currently would be considered tame compared to what he’d likely endure should the Lakers win it all.