‘Dirk Is Very Smart’: Kevin Love Backs Dirk Nowitzki As Next Dallas Mavericks GM After Franchise Icon Breaks Silence On Nico Harrison Firing

Jake RogersNovember 18, 2025November 18, 2025no comment

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

As the Dallas Mavericks reshape their front office following the dismissal of general manager Nico Harrison, one veteran voice has floated a high-profile candidate: Dirk Nowitzki.

Kevin Love publicly endorsed the Mavericks legend during an appearance on the Up and Adams Show, arguing that Nowitzki possesses the basketball understanding, credibility. and long-term investment needed to stabilize the organization after the franchise-altering trade of Luka Dončić and a turbulent start to the season.

Speaking about why Nowitzki would be an ideal choice, Love cited both his connection to the franchise and his deep knowledge of the game.

“Just knows the game,” Love said. “But I also think, like you know, the sweat equity, and him being the face of that franchise, maybe forever and always.”

Love added that he believes Nowitzki’s leadership instincts and commitment to Dallas would make him a transformative figure in the front office.

“I think that he would do whatever he could to make that place special again, and for long term,” Love said. “And I think he’d put a lot of good people in place.”

He also spoke personally about the role Nowitzki played in shaping his own NBA journey.

“Dirk is very smart,” Love said. “He’s the guy who influenced my basketball career more than anyone. So if I’m a betting man, I’m betting on Dirk Nowitzki to do a great job in whatever he does.”

Dirk Nowitzki Opens Up on Nico Harrison Firing

While Love made his case for Nowitzki to lead the Mavericks’ front office, the Hall of Famer has already made clear how he feels about the organization’s decision to move on from Harrison — and why he believed the change was overdue.

In a lengthy appearance for Amazon’s NBA coverage, Nowitzki said the Mavericks could not continue operating under the distractions that had built up around the team.

“Well, I think there’s just too many distractions, too much going on to keep going this way,” Nowitzki said. “This move should have probably happened this summer honestly. I didn’t want this negative energy and this black cloud over the Cooper Flagg era, but here we are now.”

Nowitzki said the Dončić trade remained the breaking point for fans, who felt blindsided by the abrupt end to a title-contending core.

“I just knew … I figured this fan base is a passionate and loyal fan base,” he said. “I was lucky enough to experience it for 21 years. And I knew they weren’t (going to) just get over it, as people say, or forget about it. They’re extremely passionate.”

He reiterated that the trade made little sense after Dallas had reshaped its roster specifically around Dončić, only to pivot abruptly.

“And this trade just made no sense,” Nowitzki said. “It made no sense to (the fans). And, really, there was no explanation for it, either.”

Nowitzki added that many Mavericks supporters felt “robbed” of seeing the Dončić era naturally play out after the franchise reached the NBA Finals the previous year.

“It was very sad,” he said. “It was very sad how that ended.”

Mavericks Move Forward With Interim Leadership

The Mavericks named Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi as co-interim general managers while ownership begins a full search for a permanent replacement.

Love’s endorsement of Nowitzki — and Nowitzki’s candid reflections on the Harrison era — underscore the weight of the franchise’s current crossroads. Even if Nowitzki won’t consider stepping into the GM role, his voice remains central to the fanbase and to the organization’s next steps.