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[Saba Sports News] Dallas Mavericks fans might be inching closer to the change they’ve been calling for.
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal reported this week on a potential replacement for embattled GM Nico Harrison, should the team decide to move on. According to Afseth, a “logical” in-house candidate is already in place — assistant GM Matt Riccardi.
Riccardi, a Dallas native, joined the organization in 2022 and was promoted to assistant GM in 2023. He’s reportedly been a consistent presence in day-to-day operations and is well-regarded internally. He also has a strong working relationship with Kyrie Irving, something that could play a key role in his candidacy.
Meanwhile, Harrison remains a deeply unpopular figure in Dallas. Since orchestrating February’s highly controversial trade that sent Luka Doncic out of town, Harrison has faced relentless backlash from the fanbase — including chants for his firing, some even directed at him in person.
Though Harrison once appeared to have firm support from team governor Patrick Dumont, recent developments suggest that backing may be wavering. Earlier this week, Dumont reportedly forced Harrison into a closed-door media session, against his own preference — a potential sign of shifting dynamics.
While it remains unclear whether the Mavericks are actively planning to dismiss Harrison, doing so could be one of the few ways to begin repairing their fractured relationship with fans.