“It Was a Mistake,” Mark Cuban Takes Blame for Hiring Nico Harrison

Mark Cuban is the former principal owner and current minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Last year at the trade deadline, a trade took place that shook the entire basketball world once and for all.

Face of the Mavs, Luka Doncic, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in a blockbuster trade. The architect behind the deal was general manager Nico Harrison.

He valued two-way players, despite the Mavs having one of the best players in the world in Doncic. It was a trade that Mavs fans have still not come to terms with.  

Following the blockbuster trade of Luka Doncic for 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, Nico Harrison had often found himself on the receiving end of Dallas’ fans’ dissatisfaction. While Harrison has been fired since, the Mavs continue to struggle this campaign.

It was a move that failed miserably for the Mavs as Davis struggled to take to court due to constant injuries and was eventually traded to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline this year. Meanwhile, Doncic has played at an MVP level this season and currently leads the league in scoring.

Mark Cuban was well appreciated by the players and the fans during his time as the majority owner of the Mavs. He was rarely involved in any controversies and was frequently seen in the front row supporting his team passionately.

Mark Cuban made an appearance on an episode of  “The Adam Friedland Show” and was asked if he regretted hiring Nico Harrison.

Yeah. In hindsight now, it was a mistake, but whatever.

Mark Cuban says hiring Nico Harrison was a mistake

(via @adam_talkshow, h/t @TheNBABase)pic.twitter.com/JochnUq7By

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 12, 2026

Even though Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavs for $3.5 billion three years ago, he may be tempted to regain control considering everything that has been happening with the club both on and off the court over the last year.

Mark Cuban’s biggest miss as an owner was passing on Giannis Antetokounmpo

There is no doubt that Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA today and can move the needle wherever he goes. Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013, Antetokounmpo brought relevance to the franchise and delivered a championship in 2021, which was their first championship in 50 years.

However, in the 2013 NBA draft, the Mavs had the 13th pick. The then-GM Donnie Nelson tried to pursue Cuban to take him, only to be turned down. The Bucks ended up picking Antetokounmpo as the 15th pick, and the rest is history.

On the show, the host asked Cuban what his biggest miss was.

Greek Freak was probably the biggest yeah.

Mark Cuban says his biggest “miss” as an owner was passing on Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2013 draft, per @adam_talkshow.

Cuban ended up overruling his fellow executives who loved Giannis, and traded the pick for Lucas Nogueira and cap space. (h/t @TheNBABase) pic.twitter.com/5XlT2upN65

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 12, 2026

It would have been interesting to see where the Mavs would be today if they had drafted the Greek superstar. But if they did draft Antetokounmpo, it is likely that they would not end up drafting Doncic.

Difficult season for the Dallas Mavericks without Luka Doncic

The Mavs are coming off a 124-112 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena on Tuesday night. The loss extended their losing streak to eight games. They are currently sitting at 13th place in the Western Conference standings with a 21-44 record and are highly likely out of the playoff picture for this season.

Meanwhile, Luka Doncic is on a three-match winning streak with the Lakers, and they are currently seeded at fourth place in the standings. They remain in contention for a direct playoff qualification in a highly competitive Western Conference.

The only positive that came out of the Doncic-Davis trade for the Mavs is the 2025 number one pick, which turned into Cooper Flagg. The young star has shown this season that he can be the future face of the franchise. With a rejuvenated Kyrie Irving returning, the Mavs will be hoping for a much-improved showing next season

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