Colin Cowherd was told Mavericks’ GM Nico Harrison was forced to trade Luka Doncic to Lakers

The Dallas Mavericks general manager was forced to make the Luka Doncic trade, according to Colin Cowherd.

Jan 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin (left) and Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison (right) before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Portland Trail Blazers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are still the most polarizing team of the trade deadline, and moves have been made since they dealt Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The trade was that groundbreaking, though.

Many quesitons have been raised about the Mavericks and why they moved on from their generational superstar and franchise talents -- and general manager Nico Harrison's answers have only made the matter worse.

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison (right) looks on during warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

According to Colin Cowherd, on a recent episode of the "Colin Cowherd Podcast," Harrison was pressured to make the groundbreaking Doncic trade.

"I called somebody yesterday who has known Nico Harrison, the GM who made the deal, the Mavericks GM, and I said, 'What Happened?' And this person said, 'This came from above and beyond the general manager.,'" Cowherd explained. "And when you only get one first-round pick back, that is somebody in ownership telling you, 'Just make the deal.'

"That is pressure from upstairs. ...Nico Harrison knows that one first-round pick is not enough."

“JUST MAKE THE TRADE”@colincowherd shares why he thinks the Mavs GM was forced to trade Luka Doncic to Lakers pic.twitter.com/DF6IzCoFoP

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) February 5, 2025

Cowherd has a point. The trade was so brutal and Harrison has thrown plenty of excuses around, which makes it seem like something could have gone on behind the scenes.

The Mavericks now have a core of Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson. Is that plenty of star power? Sure. However, it isn't 2019 anymore. These stars are older and are passing their prime years.

Doncic was on pace to be a multi-time MVP winner and looked capable of leading the Mavericks to a title one day. Trading him away for a sliver of a chance at a title, which they would have had a better chance of winning with Doncic, simply wasn't worth it.

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READ MORE: Lakers may trade away former Mavericks forward from Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade

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