Who Replaces Nico Harrison If the Mavericks Move On? One Logical Option
Could the Mavericks turn to a trusted internal voice if they move on from Nico Harrison? With player trust and a proven track record, one candidate stands out.
The Dallas Mavericks aren’t just suffering from on-court inconsistency — they operate with a leadership vacuum. General manager Nico Harrison has distanced himself from public accountability, and his attempt to finally address the media only made that distance feel greater.
The team organized a closed-door roundtable with Harrison and CEO Rick Welts — a meeting restricted to select media only. It came with strict conditions: no cameras, live tweets, or public advisory. It wasn’t held at the practice facility but discreetly staged at American Airlines Center during a scheduled team practice. Reporters not on the invite list — including those already on-site at practice, including DallasHoopsJournal.com — were never told.
Billed as transparency, the session quickly revealed itself as damage control. Even the transcript, released later, was curated by the team. For those left out, many of whom cover the team daily, it came off as a botched attempt at public accountability.
When Harrison did speak, he reinforced just how disconnected he’d become from the city, the fan base, and the organization’s identity.
He no longer sits in his courtside seat at American Airlines Center, instead choosing to watch home games from the tunnel. On the rare occasions he’s seen, it’s usually from behind the scenes — never beside the bench, never in the crowd. When Luka Dončić returned to Dallas for the first time as a Laker, Mavericks fans welcomed their former franchise star with deafening applause, “MVP” chants, and custom-made T-shirts. The loudest chant of all? “Fire Nico!” Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Lakers fans have taken to sarcastically chanting “Thank you, Nico!” when Dončić faced the Mavericks for the first time, while wearing purple and gold — an extra sting for a front office still trying to convince its fanbase that it made the right decision.
Harrison repeatedly leaned on “defense wins championships” as the justification for trading Dončić, a phrase he used so often it began to sound like a deflection. Asked whether he regretted the trade amid intense backlash, Harrison replied, “There’s no regrets.” He later stated the tribute video and thank-you shirts during Dončić’s return should have given fans “closure.” He once said some of his decisions “might be unpopular — maybe to Dirk [Nowitzki] and maybe to the fans — but my obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks.”
Those remarks highlighted more than just poor messaging — they exposed how tone-deaf Harrison has become. When asked why he hadn’t sought input from Nowitzki or Mark Cuban before making a franchise-altering trade, he said, “You can’t look for advice from people who aren’t in the building.” He made it clear he had no interest in consulting the people who defined the Mavericks’ culture before his arrival.
Harrison’s comment that he didn’t know the Mavericks’ culture before taking the job only reinforced the growing sentiment that he never fully grasped what the franchise stood for. Nowitzki, once formally brought on as a special adviser in 2021, has since grown distant from the organization, turned off by the state of the team and Harrison’s push to remove Cuban from basketball operations after the sale.
If the Mavericks decide to move on from Harrison, a logical replacement option already exists within the organization’s basketball operations structure: assistant general manager Matt Riccardi.
Riccardi has been a consistent presence within the Mavericks’ front office, frequently involved in day-to-day logistics, and regularly seen on the court pregame, interacting with players and executives. He has developed a strong rapport with players, most notably Kyrie Irving, with whom he has worked in Brooklyn and Dallas. He was part of the Nets’ front office that brought Irving and Kevin Durant to Brooklyn in 2019, forming what many believed could be one of the most talented Big Threes in the history of the NBA, including James Harden. Instead, the group unraveled under injuries, absences, and internal turmoil, with Irving often at the center. He missed half a season, faced persistent controversy, and became arguably the league’s most polarizing figure before a lack of traction in contract talks led to a trade to Dallas.
Yet in Dallas, there have been no issues. Riccardi remains the only executive to have worked with Irving across multiple organizations — and earned his trust in both. That continuity matters. It reflects the environment Riccardi helps foster: grounded, respectful, and player-focused. With Irving being extension-eligible this offseason while recovering from a torn ACL, Riccardi’s presence could help as a trusted figure before handling negotiations amid those circumstances. In a league where failure in contract talks can lead to situations like Jimmy Butler’s exit from the Miami Heat, getting this right is essential as the Mavericks navigate a limited window.
His experience with Durant should also not be overlooked. As the Mavericks monitor star movement this summer, Durant’s situation in Phoenix could become relevant, and Riccardi has a history with him, too. If Dallas explores that route, few executives would be better positioned to manage the dynamic than Riccardi.
During the 2023 free agency period, which ultimately helped set the stage for the Mavericks’ NBA Finals run, Riccardi stayed in contact with Derrick Jones Jr.’s agent at the time, Aaron Turner. When Jones weighed his options, Riccardi didn’t pitch a predetermined role or guaranteed minutes. Instead, he explained what the Mavericks needed from Jones on the floor — a conversation rooted in basketball nuances. Jones, already leaning toward Dallas, appreciated the approach and later followed up with head coach Jason Kidd to complete his decision-making process.
Riccardi’s connection to Dallas runs deeper than basketball strategy — it’s personal. He moved to Plano in the sixth grade, two years before Nowitzki was drafted, and his father bought a 10-game Mavericks season ticket package. He grew up falling in love with the game as Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Michael Finley pulled the franchise out of its losing decade. In 2011, he closely watched the Mavericks win the championship, surrounded by Nets staff at a team videographer’s house. That memory wasn’t just meaningful — it was formative.
Now, Riccardi works with Finley and Kidd every day. He figures he once watched them lead the team as a young fan. He emerged from years in Brooklyn’s front office, where he rose from intern to G League general manager and director of scouting operations, surviving regime changes and building trust with players and staff. His track record includes pushing the Nets to sign Spencer Dinwiddie, identifying overlooked prospects, and being a stabilizing presence through transition. He built a reputation as a tireless worker and a listener—someone who quietly helped players like Shaun Livingston through personal struggles, stood by his evaluations, and let his work speak for itself.
Riccardi’s growing influence has also aligned with several of the Mavericks’ most pragmatic wins in recent memory. After arriving in Dallas late in the 2022 offseason, he was part of the front office that worked out the Irving trade and later helped guide the three-year, $120 million extension that has panned out well.
He influenced the trade that offloaded Tim Hardaway Jr.’s $16.2 million expiring contract, for far less than the typical cost of dumping salary. Around the league, teams like Denver had to include three second-round picks to move Reggie Jackson’s $5.25 million. Riccardi helped Dallas do it for significantly cheaper and brought back Quentin Grimes. Notably, he worked closely in Brooklyn with current Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, who ran the Pistons’ side of the deal after being named to his new role in May 2024.
That type of calculated execution starkly contrasts with the way rival teams view Harrison’s decision-making. As one anonymous NBA executive told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, “It’s always good to have a desperate GM out there.” Riccardi, meanwhile, brings direct experience successfully running a team, having served as general manager of the Long Island Nets during his time in Brooklyn. He has worked under five general managers — including Kiki Vandeweghe, Billy King, Frank Zanin, Sean Marks, and now Harrison — and built a strong reputation league-wide for his relationships, adaptability, and ability to navigate complex front office environments.
His scouting background also continues to pay dividends. As Brooklyn’s head scout, Riccardi built a reputation for spotting overlooked value. In Dallas, he was a voice in the evaluation process that led to drafting Dereck Lively II, now one of the franchise’s most promising young players.
These aren’t hypotheticals or projections. They’re tangible moves that have benefited the Mavericks directly. Quietly, Riccardi has shown he can operate at the highest level, both in roster building and player relationships. In a front office searching for stability, that might matter more than ever.
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