Mark Cuban Hints That Nico Harrison Ousted Him From Powerful Position Within Mavs Organization
Sep 16, 2025
For decades, Mark Cuban was as identifiable with the Dallas Mavericks as franchise players Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Dončić. In recent years, though, Cuban’s influence within the Mavericks organization has significantly waned. And it might have something to do with an executive that he used to work with.
Appearing on a live recording of the All In podcast, Cuban gave some strong hints that current Dallas GM Nico Harrison could have led to him losing clout in the same organization that he helped lead to the NBA’s summit. In his recollection of events, the billionaire went all the way back to the Mavericks’ 2023 playoff run.
“We were on this run when we went to the Finals. Rather than trying to interject myself all the time, I was like, ‘I don’t want to get in the way. We’re rolling,’” Cuban recalled. “And that was a mistake. There were some things that happened internally, where the person who traded Luka didn’t want me there. And so, they won. I lost.”
By now, every NBA fan knows that the executive who orchestrated the blockbuster Dončić trade was Harrison, who took over the GM role in 2021. Notably, Cuban was still the majority owner of the Mavs when Harrison was appointed to this position.
Fans will also recall that Cuban has publicly voiced his displeasure with the Mavericks’ decision to ship away Dončić, a 26-year-old generational player who will now build his future with the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. Though Cuban (who sold his majority share of the team in 2023) managed to retain some influence as a minority owner, he was clearly unable to stop the groundbreaking deal from happening.
Despite the subtle jab that he took at Harrison, Cuban maintained that his love for the Dallas franchise has not wavered after all these years.
“That’s in the past. I’m still hardcore Mavs,” Cuban said on the podcast. He then added, “MFFL.”
These initials, of course, stand for “Mavs Fan For Life.” Cuban may no longer be the larger-than-life personality at the top of the Mavs organization, but by all indications, he will continue to support the team for the foreseeable future.
