What Mavericks fans had long hoped for has finally come to reality. Ever since GM Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, his popularity in Dallas has taken a nosedive. Even during Cooper Flagg’s career-high 26-point effort against the Bucks, “Fire Nico” chants dominated American Airlines Center. Now, with Patrick Dumont finally taking action, many believe Davis could be next under pressure.

According to insider Shams Charania, Dumont and the ownership are “expected to fire general manager Nico Harrison at a 10 am Central Time meeting on Tuesday.” But will they move on from Anthony Davis, the result of the trade that led to this? Doncic is dropping almost 40-point triple-doubles for the Los Angeles Lakers every night while Davis remains out injured.

If the latest report from Marc Stein is to be believed, Davis’s agent maintains a good relationship with the ownership. “As for what Nico Harrison’s dismissal means for Anthony Davis’ future in Dallas: Sources tell @TheSteinLine and @DLLS_Sports that Davis’ agent Rich Paul has established a strong relationship with Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont since February’s trade. They are in regular contact,” wrote Stein.

That still doesn’t guarantee Anthony Davis’ spot in the future. He has played only 14 games for the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds. Though stats don’t play much part in this potential trade, his fitness is under the scanner as he started the season about 20 pounds overweight.

Davis is nursing a left calf strain and was already managing bilateral Achilles tendinopathy. Currently, he is day-to-day, but the conversations around his injury aren’t positive yet. With these injury issues, Davis turns 33 years old in March, and the prime might be short-lived even if he returns.

The Mavs No. 3 is under contract for $58.4 million next season with a $62.7 million player option for 2027-28. ESPN insider Shams Charania guessed that Davis could return 4 first-round picks in a potential trade. Clutch Points on November 8 reported that the “Mavericks would prefer to build around Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Cooper Flagg.” However, they mentioned that chances for a Davis trade are ‘pretty slim’ as of that date.

It could be because Irving is still recovering from his ACL tear. However, once the offseason arrives, we could be having a different conversation regarding Irving and Davis. The ownership could look at the roster building once they figure out who to replace Harrison with.

Can Mark Cuban come back to the Dallas Mavericks? 

“Nothing’s really changed except my bank account,” Cuban said after selling his controlling stake in 2023, for “in excess of $4 billion.” However, Nico Harrison took over the basketball operations as a GM, and the governor became Dumont. While Cuban had his influence, Harrison and Dumont were the formal line, and it has slipped away since then. 

“Yeah, I f—– up,” Cuban said in September. “When I did the deal, the presumption was that I would still be running basketball, and we tried to put it in the contract, but the NBA said the Governor is the Governor and they make all final decisions.” Now that Harrison is moving on, Cuban has an opportunity to correct that mistake. 

Mark Cuban knows the Mavericks better than anyone. A fan, visionary, and builder of the franchise, he helped shape Dallas into a contender. Though some fans still resent his decision to sell, many would welcome his return to a larger role. With a 27% ownership stake, Cuban retains influence, but he’s unlikely to serve as a direct replacement for Nico Harrison.

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He is not a GM with the title or the luxury to do this full-time. However, he could still get involved more if the ownership and the new management allow him to. Cuban’s expertise could prove important in rebuilding and hiring the new GM. The question remains if he will be willing to come back after some bad blood from his sale.