The Dallas Mavericks’ latest press conference had Stephen A. Smith seething at GM Nico Harrison.
The nightmare doesn’t seem to end for Dallas Mavericks fans, as fallout from the Luka Doncic trade continues to generate massive criticism for the franchise and General Manager Nico Harrison.
Doncic, who recently made NBA history, made matters worse when he returned to the American Airlines Center with the Los Angeles Lakers earlier in April, dropping 45 points amid loud chants of ‘Fire Nico’ from the home crowd.
But if fans thought that would be the end of the fiasco, they were in for a rude awakening.
The front office got blasted for the Mavericks’ secretive press briefing on April 14, with no recording devices allowed. CEO Rick Welts and Harrison addressed select media members, but if they were hoping to calm the storm, what they said seems to have riled the NBA world up even more.
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Stephen A. Smith criticises Nico Harrison claims
Mark Cuban issued a strong statement after the briefing, defending comments that were made about Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki.
Harrison also claimed he had ‘no regrets’ regarding the trade, and it’s that statement that led to Stephen A. Smith going off at him on ESPN.
“It might behove you not to talk at all,” Smith said on First Take. “Just let the whole damn season end. Because there’s nothing that you can do to explain it…
“You don’t have a press conference right now and talk about it, you just don’t. You shut up and you go home. That’s what you do. Do your exit interviews when the season’s over.”
This take might seem harsh, but given the vitriol the Mavericks have been facing from the media and their fans, it sounds like good advice for the moment.
The Dallas Mavericks’ season isn’t over yet
It’s hard to imagine that the team would be able to focus on basketball with everything going on, but that’s just what they did on Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings.
The Mavericks cantered to a comfortable 120-106 victory to beat Sacramento and stay alive in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
If the team can beat the Memphis Grizzlies and get into the playoffs, it will provide a positive respite from all the noise that has surrounded them since the Luka trade.
Harrison will be among those hoping that, despite the absence of Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and the other Mavs stars will be able to help change the narratives as soon as possible.
The post ‘Shut up and go home’ – Stephen A. Smith reacts to Mavericks GM Nico Harrison’s Luka Doncic trade claims appeared first on HITC.
