If there is one thing that Mark Cuban admits, it is that he doesn’t regret selling the Dallas Mavericks. He regrets how he did it. As he explained recently on the ‘All In’ podcast, “There were some things that happened internally where the person who traded Luka didn’t want me there. And so, they won, I lost”. Through this comment, Mark Cuban laid the ultimate blame on Nico Harrison for not involving him in the decision process, which ultimately led to him being snubbed out of the discussion on Luka Doncic’s trade. However, does Nico Harrison really have the power to remove an owner, even a minority one, from important decisions? That is the question Draymond Green wanted the answer to.

A social media user by the name of Daymond Patterson II “DP” recently put out a post that highlighted Mark Cuban’s recent comments against Nico Harrison. The same caught the attention of the Golden State Warriors star. He went on to comment that “Imagine you blaming Nico for removing an owner of a team….”

Since the Luka Doncic trade, Mark Cuban has openly spoken against the Luka Doncic trade decision. At the recent All-In Summit that took place in Los Angeles, Cuban added on to that by suggesting that Nico Harrison did not take in Cuban’s input. After selling the Mavericks, Cuban reportedly wanted contractual language stating that he would remain in control of basketball decisions. However, as he revealed, “the NBA said, ‘The governor is the governor, and they make all final decisions.’”

Cuban was still involved in decisions ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, and he weighed in on the decision to acquire P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. However, after that, the billionaire himself made a decision to step back. “I was involved, and then we went on this run where we went to the finals, and rather than try interjecting myself all the time, I was like, ‘I don’t want to get in the way, we’re rolling,’” said Cuban. “And that was a mistake.”

One of the biggest points of tension between Mark Cuban and Nico Harrison has been communication—or the lack of it. Since selling the majority ownership of the Mavericks in late 2023, Cuban has admitted he no longer communicates directly with Harrison. Cuban himself described this as a “breakdown,” a sharp contrast to the hands-on role he once played in virtually every basketball decision. “That’s been the toughest part, just not being the final decision maker when it comes to on-court decisions.” For someone long known as one of the most involved owners in the NBA, being sidelined from direct dialogue with his GM has created friction and fueled speculation about how aligned the Mavericks’ leadership truly is.

The Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers only magnified those cracks. Cuban has openly said he urged Harrison not to make the move, yet claims he wasn’t looped in until the deal was essentially complete. The fallout was massive: fans erupted in frustration, chants of “Fire Nico” rang out at Mavericks games, and Cuban was left in the awkward position of both distancing himself from the decision and defending the organization he still partially owns (“If the Mavs are going to trade Luka, that’s one thing,”). That trade, more than anything else, exposed the gap between Cuban’s vision and Harrison’s authority, cementing the tension at the core of their relationship.

While Draymond Green hasn’t shied away from firing shots at certain people over certain opinions, he hasn’t criticized Mark Cuban in the past, ever. Then again, Green’s recent comments cannot be considered fully unexpected, because the Warriors’ power forward has been an exception in the field of others who had criticized Nico Harrison over the last few months.

Draymond Green Defended Nico Harrison Over Luka Doncic Trade: “doesn’t just mean s— on Nico”

The Luka Doncic trade made Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison a villain. Barely a few hours after the trade, Mavs fans began protesting outside the team’s home arena and spray-painted messages directed at Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison. Boos and jeers were emitted at Mavs games. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst even admitted, back in April, that “For Nico, there is nothing that can happen this year that’s gonna save his reputation in the sights of Mavericks fans”. In Draymond Green’s eyes, however, the 52-year-old was simply stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Back in July, Draymond Green took to his official Threads account to respond to a comment. The remark was by self-described NBA analyst Ahmad K Smith, who said, “Nico Harrison questioned Luka’s work ethic, doubted his conditioning, and traded him. Just for Luka to pop out in LA on the cover of Men’s Health looking like prime LeBron lol.” Green soon responded to this comment by saying, “Does Luka have that same fire if not traded from Dallas? Nico can be right and his thinking and end up wrong in the end, because he doesn’t play the game, and Luka is one of the greatest talents we have seen. But it doesn’t just mean s— on Nico either”.

Luka Doncic was certainly not in his best shape when he was traded. He had missed the previous 19 games as he was recovering from a calf injury sustained during the Christmas Day game. However, in the months following the trade, there were reports that had leaked about Luka’s work ethic and his poor conditioning. His ‘dad-bod’ build and unhealthy habits were reportedly listed as a potential reason for why Nico Harrison traded him to the Lakers. After all, as ‘The Athletic’s Christian Clark said, “Dončić’s poor conditioning early in the season angered Harrison”.

That all is in the past now, as Luka Doncic has, over the course of the off-season, potentially lost around 10 to 12 kilograms (22 to 26 pounds). He averaged 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists at EuroBasket 2025.

Draymond Green defended Nico Harrison back then, and he continues to do so even now. It remains to be seen just how much further this confidence in the GM goes.