Less than a calendar year since dealing Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks put a bow on arguably the worst transaction in NBA history, firing general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday.

This is what happens when you trade a 25-year-old perennial member of the All-NBA First Team under the cover of night, without opening the bidding to the entire league. It may sound harsh, but it is reality.

So, what next for interim Mavericks executives Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi?

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Well, they inherit a roster that has posted a 3-8 record through the season's first few weeks, all as Dončić has led the Lakers to an 8-3 start, looking very much like an MVP favorite. Nobody but Max Christie can make a 3-pointer. D'Angelo Russell is not an answer at point guard in Kyrie Irving's absence. Nor is Cooper Flagg. Their 29th-rated offense is a disaster. And Anthony Davis has already missed a handful of games.

It is not all bad. They have Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in this past June's draft, who they lucked into from a late-lottery position. He is as advertised, averaging a 15-7-3, albeit on 42/26/89 shooting splits, through his first 11 games. But they already have him playing out of position. And they are hindering his progress.

(At least they have Flagg. Honestly, can you imagine what misery Dallas fans would be living if the Mavs had actually picked 11th, where they were slotted in the lottery? And if Nico was in charge of that pick?) 

Dallas can no longer convince itself it is Irving's rehabilitation away from contention. Klay Thompson, averaging 7.4 points on 31.4% shooting from the field, epitomizes an underperforming supporting cast.

Maybe if they can get healthy in the frontcourt, where Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II have also missed time, they can get back to the business of being .500, which isn't good enough in the West.

Maybe if they can get Irving back into the fold at some point this season, he would be able to return to his All-Star form by next season, when the Mavericks could be a playoff team in the crowded West.

But Harrison's championship vision is in the rearview. They are a series of assets — and years of Flagg's development — from serious contention. By then, Davis and Irving will be in their mid-30s, even more of an injury risk than they already are. They may be past their peaks now. By the time Flagg hits his prime, they will be well past theirs, making maximum salaries. Again, they would be a hindrance to his progress.

There is but one way forward for these Mavericks: Blow it up.

Everyone but Flagg and Lively should be available. Imagine what they could get for Davis. After all, the Mavs just traded Luka freaking Dončić for him. No other team would be so dumb to deal a top-five player in return for Davis, but they could restock their draft chest and add a player or two for Flagg's future.

Likewise, when Irving proves he is healthy enough to deal, trade him, too. Surely, they could get another draft asset or two in return. They traded a single first-round pick for Irving when his value was at its low.

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As is, the Mavericks hold the rights to their own first-round pick this season, and then they do not control another first-round asset until 2031. So, why not tank to the bottom of the standings this season, when they own their pick in a talent-rich draft, pairing another high selection with the franchise's future?

The Mavs are devoid of prospects, other than Flagg and Lively. Who is going to run with them when they are ready to lead a team? Christie? Jaden Hardy? These names do not inspire confidence. Dallas has one chance to snare another high-end draft pick, and it is now, when so soon into the season it is lost. While they're at it, pick up a few other future building blocks for Davis and Irving in the meantime. Restock. Fast.

Otherwise, Dallas may not pick in the top 10 again until Flagg is on his second contract. For real. And Davis can opt out of his contract at the end of next season. What then? Think he will want to wait around for Flagg to be ready to compete for a championship, when he will be 15 years into an oft-injured career?

The Mavericks did not fire Harrison because they believed they should be a championship contender right now, instead of what they are — a moribund team. They fired him because he made The Trade. They fired him because he guaranteed Thompson $ 50 million. Because he dealt Quentin Grimes for Caleb Martin, who is on the hook for $ 10 million annually over the next three seasons. Because Davis, Gafford and Lively are scheduled to make more than $ 100 million in 2027-28, all while playing the same position.

Should we go on? Because P.J. Washington is signed through the 2029-30 season, meaning he is their longterm partner for Flagg at forward. On a team that has three centers. None of it makes sense.

The Mavericks fired Harrison because they did not want him in charge of their future, and their future is Flagg. Build around him. Do not do what the Cleveland Cavaliers did to a young LeBron James, throwing bad money after good veterans, only to field a team that could not run with him. He had no partner from the top end of the draft, so he had to go find some in Miami. Do not let that happen to Flagg. Blow it up.

The alternative? Wait for Harrison's vision team to hit its ceiling, which right now feels like a .500 finish, and run it back next season, when Irving may help them compete for the playoffs, wasting another year of runway to build around Flagg. The alternative is beyond a fool's errand. Pull the band-aid. Blow it up.

Thanks, Nico.

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