Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and CEO Rick Welts spoke to select members of the Dallas media about the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade they pulled off last February, which angered the team’s fans.
Harrison, who spoke to the media for the first time in a long while, said he has “no regrets” despite the backlash since acquiring Anthony Davis fits into his philosophy of “defense wins championships.”
“There’s no regrets on the trade. Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future, and some of the decisions I’m going to make are going to be unpopular. That’s my job, and I have to stand by it,” Harrison explained via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
“We believe in the move we made. You obviously don’t, and that’s fine. You’re entitled to your opinions, but we’re excited. I think once we win, then that will change your mind,” he added.
Dallas Mavericks News: Rick Welts doubles down on Nico Harrison’s stance with embarrassing take
Before joining the Dallas Mavericks, Rick Welts was the former CEO of the Golden State Warriors, which turned into a dynasty with the core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson. When quizzed about his opinion on the Luka Doncic trade, Welts likened it to a move he orchestrated in the past.
“At Golden State. When I got there, we had one marketable player that our fans loved. His name was Monta Ellis. The ball came out of Monta Ellis’ hands, was put in this young guard named Steph Curry. Four championships later, that worked out pretty well. So, I would just say that this story is unfinished,” Welts said via Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.
“We hear every day the pain that people are feeling. But I think you have to judge us from this day forward. I think it’s on us to earn back that trust from others by how we perform as an organization, as a franchise and as a basketball team,” he added.
