Latest news with #NicoHarrison
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-Mavs coach Don Nelson sides with Luka Dončić, wears his shoes in ‘protest' while accepting lifetime achievement award
Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Don Nelson made a rare trip off the island this weekend to accept the Chuck Daily Lifetime Achievement Award at the NBA Finals. Before Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, however, Nelson made sure to take sides in the stunning Luka Dončić trade from earlier this season. 'I want everybody to know I'm wearing Luka's shoes, his new shoes from Nike … and I'm wearing them in protest for the trade from Dallas,' Nelson said. 'I think it was a tremendous mistake by the Dallas franchise to trade him. I want everybody to know that.' The Mavericks dealt Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the trade deadline earlier this season in what was one of the most shocking trades in league history. It prompted plenty of backlash from Mavericks fans, too, who repeatedly and loudly called for the ouster of general manager Nico Harrison. Dallas then struggled the rest of the way and finished in 10th in the Western Conference standings. Advertisement The Mavericks, who landed Anthony Davis in the deal, have since won the NBA Draft lottery. They will presumably take former Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick later this month. Nelson, a Hall of Famer and one of the best coaches in league history, led the Mavericks from 1997-2005. He also had long runs leading both the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors before retiring after the 2010 campaign. Nelson, who also won five titles during his time in the league as a player, was the NBA's all-time winningest coach when he retired. Only former San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has won more. Nelson has been living in Hawaii and largely staying away from the game ever since. His trip to Oklahoma City this weekend was the first time he's left Hawaii in seven years. "History has already reflected Don Nelson's staggering contributions as a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game," Pacers coach and NBCA president Rick Carlisle said of Nelson, via ESPN . "Back in the '80s and '90s, he made teams adjust to historic pace, liberal 3-point shooting, inverted offense and disruptive defensive schemes. All this while establishing himself as one of the most compelling personalities in all of professional sports." While the award is well-deserved, Nelson couldn't help but share his thoughts on one of his former teams' decisions. With the way that the Mavericks fanbase has reacted in the months since, even with them landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, it'd be hard to find many that disagree with him.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Four-Team NBA Trade Idea Sends Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell To Mavericks
Four-Team NBA Trade Idea Sends Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell To Mavericks originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Dallas Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, so they have the first overall pick in this year's draft. Advertisement The Mavericks, who shockingly traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, are widely expected to draft Duke's Cooper Flagg with the first pick. However, if Dallas general manager Nico Harrison wants to acquire a win-now player to pair next to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, one NBA insider proposed that the former Nike exec trade for Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell. Kevin Pelton of ESPN proposed the following four-team trade idea between the Mavericks, Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls: Dallas Mavericks get: Guard Donovan Mitchell, 2031 first-round pick (via Lakers), 2028 first-round swap (via Lakers), 2030 first-round swap (via Lakers) Advertisement Cleveland Cavaliers get: 2025 No. 1 pick, guards Jevon Carter and Gabe Vincent, forwards Maxi Kleber and P.J. Washington, center Daniel Gafford Los Angeles Lakers get: Center Jarrett Allen Chicago Bulls get: Forwards Dalton Knecht and Caleb Martin, 2026 second-round pick (via Cavaliers), 2027 second-round pick (via Nuggets), 2028 second-round pick (via Cavaliers) Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan MitchellMandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Cavaliers in 2024. He will make $46.4 million next season. Cleveland had the best record in the East this year but lost to the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals in five games. Advertisement A six-time All-Star, Mitchell averaged 24.0 points and 5.0 assists this season in 71 games while shooting 44.3% from the field, 36.8% from 3 and 82.3% from the foul line. If this trade idea happened, the Mavericks would have a "Big 4" of Mitchell, Irving, Davis and Klay Thompson. Mitchell has played for the Utah Jazz and Cavaliers. He has career averages of 24.7 points and 4.7 assists. Related: Blockbuster 3-Team NBA Trade Idea Sends Celtics' Jrue Holiday to Mavericks This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Cooper Flagg Offers Mavericks Precious Commodity Lost In Doncic Deal
The Dallas Mavericks pulled off the improbable on Monday. They had a 1.8 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. But after moving up a record-setting 10 spots, they're positioned to add elite prospect Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks' president of basketball operations and general manager, Nico Harrison, could not have envisioned this when the team traded franchise star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Here was the reaction from Harrison and Co. as the ping pong balls bounced them an unexpected lifeline. The former Duke Blue Devil is among the best NBA prospects in years. He reclassified to join the collegiate ranks early. Before taking his talents to Durham, Flagg impressed as a member of the United States' select team while competing against the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. Flagg then led Duke to a No. 1 seed entering the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The Maine native helped propel the Blue Devils to the Final Four before falling to the Houston Cougars on the doorstep of playing for a national title. While his incredible season didn't conclude with cutting down the nets, he showcased an array of skills that project to becoming a franchise player at the next level. Flagg is a three-level scorer. He can create for himself off the dribble against top defenders, whether on the perimeter or in the post. He has exceptional court vision. The 18-year-old phenom utilizes his size, seeing over the top of the defense to anticipate and create passing windows and lead teammates open. He delivers the ball with touch and precision. Duke also trusted Flagg to bring the ball up the floor, especially in a game's later stages. As the defense applied backcourt pressure, head coach Jon Scheyer -- and Flagg's teammates -- wanted the ball in their star's hands. At the other end of the floor, the top player in the nation has the length, physicality, anticipation, and enough foot speed to guard NBA wings. However, where he will be most impactful is as a help defender. He has the tools to be elite in that capacity. Flagg covers ground quickly, eating up space to disrupt drives, deny passing lanes, and close out to contest shooters. His defensive versatility will allow the Dallas Mavericks to pair him with Anthony Davis and a center like Dereck Lively II or play him at the four. One can't rule out Nico Harrison making another bold transaction. Perhaps, he offers this year's top selection to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo or the Phoenix Suns for Devin Booker. However, franchise stars on rookie contracts are as valuable as it gets. Even if the San Antonio Spurs, picking second overall, are willing to pay a premium to swap draft spots, is it really worth passing on a potential top option on a title contender who could carry this team for over a decade? According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, unlike Luka Doncic's prime years, Dallas is unwilling to pass on what's to come for Flagg. The top prospect in this year's draft class is capable of raising the Mavericks' ceiling and playoff longevity as a rookie before growing into an elite two-way player capable of following in Dirk Nowitzki's footsteps and leading the franchise to an NBA title. It's a prospect many fans in Dallas were concerned wouldn't come to fruition for the foreseeable future after trading Doncic. While some will be reluctant to return and others may not, if Flagg lives up to the hype, hope will get restored, and a championship parade may follow.
Black America Web
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Black America Web
Fans Swear The NBA Is Rigged After Dallas Mavericks Secure No.1 Draft Pick
Source: Anadolu / Getty Last night's NBA Draft lottery went so unexpectedly that GM Nico Harrison has seen some reprieve from his constant roasting. The Dallas Mavericks have somehow won the draft lottery, earning them the No. 1 pick. This will likely mean they'll draft Duke's Cooper Flagg, who's been hyped as a potential franchise player. Not only are the Mavs getting the chance to redeem themselves, but it was highly unlikely they'd get that lucky, with only a 1.8 chance of getting the first pick, becoming the fourth-longest shot to ever win the draft lottery. Last year's tank-worthy teams included the 17-65 Utah Jazz , 18-64 Washington Wizards, and the 19-63 Hornets, all of which had a 14% chance of winning the number one lottery. It caps off a year of ups and downs for the Mavericks, beginning with a 2024 Finals loss. The 2025 campaign kicked off very promising, but then , in one of the biggest shakeups in NBA history, Harrison traded away franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers. Injury-prone Davis promptly missed 18 games with an abductor strain, and Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL, effectively ending the Mavs' season and hopes of a deep playoff run. The chances of the Mavs getting lucky were so slim that claims of the NBA being rigged were brought up. Just 10 minutes after the announcement, LeBron James tweeted a bunch of crying laughing emojis, which has fans remembering the time he appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and questioned the legitimacy of the NBA draft lottery. 'During the lottery drop, Cleveland got the number one pick,' James said. 'I just don't think that was – what a coincidence. Let's keep LeBron home. You know what? Patrick Ewing to the Knicks. Derrick Rose to the Bulls. I understand the assignment, guys.' Here's how the rest of the night went: No. 1: Dallas Mavericks No. 2: San Antonio Spurs No. 3: Philadelphia 76ers No. 4: Charlotte Hornets No. 5: Utah Jazz No. 6: Washington Wizards No. 7: New Orleans Pelicans No. 8: Brooklyn Nets No. 9: Toronto Raptors No. 10: Houston Rockets (from Suns, via Nets) No. 11: Portland Trail Blazers No. 12: Chicago Bulls No. 13: Atlanta Hawks (from Kings) No. 14: San Antonio Spurs (from Hawks) See how social media is reacting below. Fans Swear The NBA Is Rigged After Dallas Mavericks Secure No.1 Draft Pick was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Reuters
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Report: Mavs unlikely to trade away 'gift' of No. 1 pick
May 14 - Having beaten long odds to win the top pick in next month's NBA draft -- and blessed with an obvious candidate to become the No. 1 selection -- the Dallas Mavericks reportedly aren't planning to use it as a trade chip. The Mavericks have their sights set on 18-year-old forward Cooper Flagg, who led Duke to the Final Four in his only season with the Blue Devils, as ESPN on Tuesday cited sources that indicated Dallas isn't interested in trading the pick. Patrick Dumont, the Mavericks' representative on the NBA's Board of Governors, appears to have the final say on personnel matters, sources said, and he looks upon the 6-foot-8 Flagg, who piled up numerous awards at Duke, as a "gift." If Flagg's prowess and promise weren't enough of a lure for the franchise - especially general manager Nico Harrison -- that traded away superstar Luke Doncic, Dallas no longer controls its first-round draft selections from 2027-30. That draft capital went toward building the roster that advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals. Flagg, a first-team All-American, also won the Wooden Award as the nation's top collegiate player and the Associated Press' national player of the year. At Duke, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He shot 48.1 percent from the floor, including 38.5 percent on 3-pointers. Said Mavericks CEO Rick Welts of Flagg: "I don't know who we're going to take, but should we take him, I think his résumé is pretty strong. Every time he's put in a situation that everyone wondered if he could succeed, he's succeeded and then some." Dallas had just a 1.8 percent chance to win the top pick during the NBA's draft lottery, which was conducted on Monday. The draft will be held June 25-26 in New York. --Field Level Media
