A series of internal decisions and missteps have come to light, revealing the root of the Dallas Mavericks' unraveling this season.
The Dallas Mavericks just wrapped up one of the most chaotic and tumultuous seasons in NBA history.
What began with championship aspirations quickly spiraled into controversy, dysfunction, and ultimately, the shocking departure of franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic.
From blockbuster trades to bizarre internal disputes and a cascade of injuries, the Mavericks' season unraveled in dramatic fashion.
At the center of the storm stands Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison, whose leadership decisions have come under intense scrutiny—none more so than the circumstances surrounding Doncic’s eventual exit.
The Firing of Casey Smith
The downfall may have started with an unexpected and controversial decision: the firing of longtime director of health and performance, Casey Smith.
Known as one of Dirk Nowitzki’s closest confidants and credited with helping extend Dirk’s legendary career to 21 seasons, Smith was abruptly dismissed by Harrison, via video call, while visiting his terminally ill mother.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the reason cited for the firing was that Smith was "too negative."
The move not only shocked the organization but also alienated Nowitzki, a figure deeply intertwined with the Mavericks' identity. Smith would later join the New York Knicks at the recommendation of Jalen Brunson.
An ESPN source described Harrison as "100 percent threatened" by Smith’s influence, suggesting the GM was concerned that Smith’s voice carried too much weight within the franchise.
Smith’s firing was the first domino in a sweeping overhaul of the Mavericks’ health and performance staff.
Luka Doncic
| Team: |
Los Angeles Lakers |
| Position: | PG, SG |
| Age: | 26 |
| Height: | 201 cm |
| Weight: | 104 kg |
| Birth place: | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
Soon after, athletic performance director Jeremy Holsopple and manual therapist Casey Spangler were also dismissed, just days after the team’s appearance in the NBA Finals.
Harrison, when asked about Smith, dismissed the relevance of the move.
"Like last year, Casey wasn’t around, and we made it to the Finals. No one brought him up then," he said. "He’s been gone for two years. So to bring him up now doesn’t make sense."
A Dysfunctional Performance Staff
Harrison’s new hires—Johann Bilsborough as director of player health and performance and Keith Belton as athletic performance director—have struggled to find cohesion.
Tensions flared publicly over the handling of rookie center Dereck Lively II, who was initially cleared to play two days after a workout against Minnesota, only for Bilsborough to intervene.
A CT scan ordered by Bilsborough revealed a stress fracture, igniting a heated confrontation between him and Belton.
One team source described Belton dismissively: "He’s a glorified cheerleader. But Nico clearly wanted cheerleader energy."
Compounding the dysfunction, Belton allegedly lacked the required certifications mandated by the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement for head strength and conditioning coaches.
Further complicating matters, Bilsborough had previously clashed with Celtics head athletic trainer Art Horne during his time in Boston, raising questions about his ability to collaborate within professional organizations.
Even Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, once known for being hands-on, was reportedly pushed out of the decision-making process. Harrison resisted any attempts at mediation.
Luka's Team vs. the Mavericks
The divide between Doncic’s camp and the Mavericks deepened following the superstar’s best season, which had been meticulously planned in the offseason.
Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, Doncic hired Real Madrid physiotherapist Javier Barrio Calvo and Slovenian national team strength coach Anze Macek to work alongside Smith and the Mavericks’ staff. Their focus was to prevent a recurrence of Doncic’s nagging calf injuries.
The result? A career-best season for Luka. Yet, despite the success, the Mavericks chose not to retain any of the specialists involved.
The tipping point came after Doncic suffered another left calf strain, his fourth in just over two years, on Christmas Day.
His camp believed the injury was the result of being rushed back too soon from a heel bruise sustained in a Dec. 15 game against Golden State. Harrison, however, blamed Doncic’s conditioning.
After an MRI, the medical staff and Doncic's team clashed over his return timeline. Bilsborough believed Doncic could be back in two to three weeks, while his personal team insisted on six weeks. They ultimately prevailed, setting a target return for Feb. 8 against the Rockets.
"That deepened the divide," ESPN's source close to the situation said.
Doncic remained non-weight bearing for two weeks, using crutches and a scooter to get around. Although later MRI results were encouraging, the six-week recovery plan was maintained.
"Holding the Team Hostage"
Another major rift emerged when Doncic declined Harrison’s request to travel with the team during a five-game road trip.
Harrison reportedly felt Doncic was "holding the team hostage." Luka’s camp argued that staying in Dallas gave him better access to treatment, the practice facility, and advanced medical equipment—not available on the road.
In response to Harrison’s insistence that Luka needed to scrimmage, Doncic offered to practice with the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ G League affiliate in nearby Frisco.
Instead of compromise, the next communication from Harrison was a bombshell: a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers had been finalized.
The Aftermath
The Luka Doncic era in Dallas didn’t end on the court—it unraveled behind the scenes, in treatment rooms, performance staff offices, and boardrooms.
What began as a franchise built around one of the most transcendent talents of his generation became a cautionary tale of fractured leadership, miscommunication, and ego.
For now, the Mavericks are left to pick up the pieces. And Luka Doncic? He's off to Los Angeles, carrying both the weight of expectations and the scars of how it all fell apart in Dallas.
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