When Nico Harrison was fired in early morning hours of November 11th, two questions permeated every Mavericks fan’s mind: Who will get traded, and who will be the next GM. The Mavericks officially announced
that Michael Finley, and Matthew Ricciardi will serve as interim G.M.’s . But this is not a long term solution, and the Mavs must move quickly to establish who will head the Mavericks as they enter their next era.
Michael Finley
Why not start with one of the current interim GM’s of the team. Michael Finley has worked for the Mavericks since 2017, and has been the assistant GM since 2021. Finley is most known for the infamous video of him taking Luka’s beer away after the 2024 Western Conference Finals. Finley served as Nico Harrison’s second in command, but was reportedly the front office member who was in the strongest opposition to the Luka Doncic trade, according to Marc Stein. This last point may seem inconsequential, the trade still happened, and Finley still stayed by Nico’s side. But it could show that Patrick Dumont wishes to distance himself from Nico’s “Vision” as much as possible.
Matt Riccardi
Moving on to the other interim GM, and maybe the preferred candidate of a certain former owner. A Plano native who has extensive front office experience. He worked for the Brooklyn (former New Jersey) Nets for 12 years as a scout, before coming to the Mavericks, where he has served as the Assistant GM since 2023. The most interesting part of his candidacy is his seeming support from Jason Kidd. As reported by the Athletics’ Christian Clark, “If Riccardi is promoted as Harrison’s full-time successor… it would be a sign of Kidd’s sway”. This fact raises the question: How much power does Jason Kidd gain from Nico Harrison’s firing?
Jason Kidd?
It is no secret that Jason Kidd has always been a coach who seeks greater roster control than his position, dating back to both his time in Brooklyn and Milwaukee he has “craved input in personnel decisions” according to SI’s Chris Mannix. Could this mean a Brad Stevens’-esque transition? Where Kidd moves to a full time GM role. No one can know for certain, but the one thing that is clear is that Kidd will certainly be a bigger player moving forward, what role that is will remain to be seen.
Mark Cuban
I can already feel the groans from Mavericks fans everywhere, “This guy again?”, and it makes perfect sense. Cuban was meddling fool who often thought he was smarter than actual professionals, and it led to terrible results. But Cuban becoming more involved is a inevitability. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, “they have been in frequent dialogue in recent months, a significant change after Cuban was pushed completely out of basketball operations last season”. This could mean nothing, one last attempt from Cuban to weasel his way into power, or it could mean everything. If Cuban does find his way into Dumont’s ear, it only makes a complicated situation more complex. While Cuban will not be the next General Manager, his input and meddling could have a profound impact on who Dumont will eventually hire.
Dennis Lindsey
Finally, Mark Cuban’s preferred general manager. Lindsey served as the GM of the Utah Jazz from 2012-2023, but importantly served as an advisor to the Mavs during the 2023-2024 season, before becoming the assistant GM for the Pistons, where he currently is now. Lindsey’s name is a favorite among the fanbase, as some people believe that his input helped to create a team that made a finals run. Lindsey also has direct support from Mark Cuban, as Tim McMahon writes, “Cuban hopes to hire Dennis Lindsey”. If Lindsey is hired, then it will mean that Cuban is back in an important role, and has gained favor with Dumont. Whether this is a good or bad outcome depends on your opinion on Cuban. Is he a passionate owner with his pulse on the fanbase? Or is he a meddlesome dunce who only adds confusion.
The next general manager will have a profound impact on the future of this team, for a multitude of reasons. Not only will they be tasked with picking up the pieces of Nico’s “vision”, but they will have to navigate a clueless ownership group.
The road ahead seems dark right now, no picks and a roster of old and injured players, with all hope resting on Cooper Flagg, but it doesn’t have to remain bleak. If Patrick Dumont, and maybe Mark Cuban can hire the right GM, there could be a light at the end of tunnel.
