"I Think They Have A Right To Vent" - Even Jason Kidd Can't Deny That Mavs Fans Have Every Right To Still Hate Nico Harrison's Guts
Jeff Haynes. Getty Images.If there's one thing people most definitely don't do, it's forget.
So I think it goes without saying that it's not exactly a surprise that even in a completely new NBA season, Mavs fans still have Nico Harrison's guts. I suppose that's how things are going to be for the rest of his tenure in Dallas, and whether that's fair or not, that's what happens when you pull the shit that Nico did last season. That's why in Game 1, it was no surprise that the fanbase once again showed up with "Fire Nico" signs
Now you'll never believe this, but things did not let up in Game 2. It certainly doesn't help that the Mavs are off to a 0-2 start while Anthony Davis looks a tad out of shape and certainly not to the level of player he needs to be as the franchise cornerstone piece that he was billed to be when that trade first went down.
So I can't say it's all that surprising that while losing to the Wizards (who are pesky!), Mavs fans decided to play the hits and let Nico know their thoughts
It'd be one thing if Nico's plan was working and the Mavs were 2-0 and dominating the West behind Cooper Flagg and AD. As of now, that's not exactly what's happened. Their guard play is a disaster without Kyrie, AD does not look ready, Cooper Flagg is a rookie playing like a rookie, and as a result, things haven't looked great.
When you make that level of trade and then immediately do your own version of a victory lap once you landed Cooper Flagg, you have to be ready for what the reaction will be if things are nowhere close to good enough or even at the level they were pre-Luka trade. That's what's at stake for Nico Harrison moving forward. If this doesn't work, he's going to hear about it. That's how sports work.
We're at the point where even Jason Kidd understands and mostly supports how Mavs' fans feel/are operating
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“I think they have a right to vent. This is a different team, this is a new team. We’re just getting to understand each other, we’re gonna keep learning each other. I would say be patient, but I understand the frustration, we all want to win. We all want to compete at a high level. This is a game of expression, and the fans have a right to express themselves…”
This is about as honest and truthful as someone could be about the situation. Mavs fans have every right to be pissed about what happened and what things look like in a post-Luka world. Nobody asked for this shit. At the same time, it's early. Very early. Kyrie isn't even playing right now. Cooper has played 2 games in his NBA career. I do think it's important to take a step back and exhale, but I also get why Mavs fans would not miss out on another opportunity to boo the shit out of Nico Harrison. It's quite the pickle if we're being honest. The rational side of your brain says there's a lot of season left (about 98% of it) and a key player isn't even active. That's going to impact every NBA team, not just the Mavs. But the irrational side of your brain tells you this whole plan is already a failure and is only going to get worse as Kyrie and AD get older, which isn't exactly a stretch. AD, Klay, Kyrie, they are all on the back 9 of their career. Their health is never guaranteed, and even if so, what do they all have left? I think it's fair for Mavs fans to not exactly be thrilled with their current situation outside of Flagg.
Given how tough the Western Conference is, you really don't have the margin for error for a slow start, especially as a "win now" team. Now the Mavs aren't alone here, a team like the Rockets who many consider to be a title favorite, are also 0-2 to start their season. There's a lot of basketball to be played and plenty can change in just a few weeks.
What I think we know won't change is how Mavs fans feel about Nico, and who could blame them really?