Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison seems to be further complicating his situation, with increasing scrutiny from the media.
His latest gaffe was admitting that he underestimated Luka Doncic’s importance to the fans in Dallas.
“I knew Luka was significant to the fan base,” Harrison said during his end-of-season press conference. “I just didn’t fully comprehend the depth of that significance.”
Smith was notably critical of his comments.
“[Harrison] looked bad saying what he said yesterday,” Smith said. “You underestimated, you didn’t know how much, to what degree fans adored Luka Doncic? You underestimated that? Where do you reside, in Waco instead of Dallas? What are you talking about? How could you possibly make such a statement?
“That shows you’re in some bubble, not venturing out, not attending games, which is hard to believe since he’s always there. I’m asking, how on earth could you say that?… To make that remark is tone-deaf. Talk about being oblivious and completely disconnected from reality when you assert you didn’t know how much the fans valued Luka Dončić.”
Barkley addressed the issue in a more diplomatic fashion.
“Listen man, I consider you a friend, Nico Harrison,” Barkley shared on Inside the NBA on TNT. “I wish you nothing but the best. I thought you did a solid job with the Mavs last year, and it’s evident that whatever occurred this year didn’t go as intended.”
Image Source: Stephen A. Smith @ Instagram
