The atmosphere around the Dallas Mavericks is tense. The team recorded a much-needed win against the Washington Wizards. It needed Naji Marshall to score 30 off the bench, in what was still a rocky game for the Mavs. But regardless of the win, Nico Harrison remains in the hot seat. A few days ago, reports emerged about the Mavericks possibly looking for a leadership change.

Mark Stein reported that owner Patrick Dumont is willing to give the Mavericks GM some time. But there’s also the sentiment “that the front office executive who conceived and pushed for the widely criticized Dončić deal can no longer be the one trying to pilot the organization past it,”. As things stand, the win against the Wizards included a lot of internal drama.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon noted Dumont interjected in the team’s decision to rest Anthony Davis. It was a “significant” moment, as the owner rushed to make a decision which would usually be entrusted to Harrison. And so, despite a positive result against the Wizards, he doesn’t feel Harrison’s job status has changed much.

“There’s a whole lot of things that ain’t good with the Mavericks. And hey, at this point, I believe it is a matter of when, not if, Nico Harrison will be fired. And there is a very, very strong likelihood that will be midseason,” the analyst said on Hoop Collective. MacMahon feels Dumont’s recent intervention was a message.

The trust that he once had in Nico Harrison has “disintegrated,” according to the analyst. And frankly, this was one of the ways it could have gone. The decision to trade Luka Doncic was bold, but it led to severe catastrophe. Fans went against the team and Harrison, prompting the Mavericks to find some success.

That hasn’t been the story of the season so far. Their roster, despite being packed with talent and depth, isn’t being utilized well. And Harrison could face another headache as the Mavericks could lose a crucial player’s commitment.

Nico Harrison’s position could get more unstable

Patrick Dumont stepping in to manage the team is an alert sign. The owner making decisions about whether a player is fit enough doesn’t necessarily mean he has a lot of trust. With Anthony Davis’ recurring injuries in recent years, Dumont might want to preach patience to avoid aggravating a pre-existing injury, as it happened with AD last season.

But as the general manager, Nico Harrison would at least want the morale of the team to be high. Even in times of struggle, the team’s spirit sparks optimism. However, MacMahon fears Klay Thompson may be checked out if he continues to come off the bench.

According to him, Thompson was promised a “starting job”. And while poor performances, including a career-low percentage from three, made the change necessary, MacMahon feels it could lead to the same situation as Thompson’s final season with the Golden State Warriors.

“Everybody who knows Klay knows how much pride he has. And man, coming off the bench in Golden State, he was miserable. And he was pissed… I knew they were thinking about it, but this was a big decision for J Kidd to make because, frankly, you risk just flat out losing Klay mentally. It’s going to be a challenge for him to stay in it mentally,” MacMahon added.

This comes amidst the growing concerns of the Mavericks playing without a point guard. Now, D’Angelo Russell seems to have secured a starting spot, providing some relief to Cooper Flagg. But if Thompson and the players start to feel demotivated from these results, Harrison’s job could be in big trouble.

He has already lost the fans after trading Luka Doncic. Now, if he loses the players, Dumont may have no other choice but to add some refreshing energy to the building. That is, of course, if the Mavericks can’t bounce back from their slump.

Anthony Davis will return soon, and more importantly, Kyrie Irving is expected to join the team around January. But this season needs to be the polar opposite of what happened in the previous year. Without a glimmer of hope that the Mavericks can compete after the controversial trade, Nico Harrison might be in huge trouble.