It is a hell of a time to be a Dallas Mavericks fan. As president and General manager of the Mavericks, Nico Harrison may have landed himself in some hot water. In what seems to be under directives from team ownership, Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis. Seen as a surprise move before the NBA’s trade deadline, the Mavericks’ fans were blindsided and vociferous in their dismay. Team governors were reported as saying that they didn’t expect such backlash, yet here we sit, witnessing it all.

Trading for Anthony Davis didn’t hurt as much at least in the moment, as Davis is a perennial all-star. He’s supremely talented and competes highly at both ends of the floor. He also brings even more championship pedigree to Dallas. However, what gave Mavericks fans cause for pause is Davis’ injury history. I think this was a classic case of being willing to deal with the devil you know versus the one that you don’t. Mavericks fans were willing to accept Doncic’s injury issues because of his younger age and upside. However, with Davis, even with his great ability, he’s an older asset to the team.

So would you imagine how much more vitriol was spewed Harrison’s way when Anthony Davis went back down with an abdominal injury in his first game with the Mavericks. The timing couldn’t be any worse, one would think. At the same time, the Lakers have found new life since Luka has joined the team. The Lakers have been 11-3 since the blockbuster trade. On the flip side, the Mavericks have a record of 6-6 since the trade. Clearly, in the short term, the Lakers have won out. But the plot thickens, as the short-term woes of the Mavs have now worsened.

Unfortunately, Mavericks all-star point guard Kyrie Irving has now torn his ACL in his knee. He would be Davis’ partner in tandem in helping the Mavericks achieve success. That future is now uncertain, especially with a new contract on the horizon for Irving this summer. What is the actual potential of this team over the next few seasons? Should Davis even attempt a comeback this season? When you’re left with more questions than answers, it’s never a good look. And just imagine, all of this could’ve been avoided had Nico Harrison just read the room. Since the front office wasn’t fond of the team’s franchise player, that was all that factored into him being dealt away.

With fans being escorted out for having “Fire Nico” signs, it’s clear that there is a divide between these two entities. If the fans ultimately lose out on having a team to cheer for in the end, that’ll be a horrible injustice, due to ego and capitalism.