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The whirlwind newsday for the Dallas Mavericks continues. The morning began with Rick Carlisle taking the Pacers head coach opening, then Carlisle gave his endorsement for Jason Kidd to take over the reins, and now Kidd’s induction as head coach sounds all but finalized.
The Mavericks are apparently not done yet, as ESPN’s Tim MacMahon is reporting that Dallas has been in talks with Nike executive Nico Harrison to join the front office.
Sources: Mavs have had discussions with longtime Nike executive Nico Harrison about joining the Dallas front office. Harrison has strong relationships with players throughout the NBA -- including Luka Doncic -- and has been pursued for front office jobs by other teams.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 25, 2021
Marc Stein of The New York Times went a step further, clarifying that the role would be as President of Basketball Operations.
The Mavericks are negotiating with the respected Nike executive Nico Harrison about taking over as the team's president of basketball operations, league sources say, with the hope of hiring Harrison alongside Jason Kidd as their next coach.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 25, 2021
The angle on Harrison seems to be positive from reporters. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski uses few words to describe what kind of attention Harrison has received in recent years.
Nico Harrison has been pursued for several front office jobs in recent years but thus far remained at Nike. He’s well respected and well connected to many of the game’s best players. https://t.co/3PCZxeDf9a
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 25, 2021
Stein goes into more detail, describing how Harrison’s connections to some of the league’s best talent could come in handy for a team that has struggled to land big names in free agency.
Dallas' approach, if it can succeed where other teams have failed in luring Harrison away from Nike, is an offshoot of how various agents have moved into front offices. Relationships and a strong rep, especially for a team that has struggled in free agency, hold undeniable appeal
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 25, 2021
Will Harrison’s credibility pay off for Dallas? I think we’ll have to wait and see, but it seems like the deal could be done soon.
Negotiations between the Mavericks and Nike's Nico Harrison to join their front office have quickly moved to an advanced stage, league sources say.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 25, 2021
Here’s our episode of the Mavs Moneyball Podcast discussing the Dallas Mavericks hiring Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison. Search Mavs Moneyball Podcast on your favorite app to find the episode, click the link, or press play in the player below.