Gary Payton defends Mavericks GM Nico Harrison amid fans criticism

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NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton has built a legendary reputation around his elite defense and storied 17-year career in the NBA, most of which he spent with the  Seattle Supersonics.

Payton, who helped the SuperSonics to the NBA Finals in  1996, spoke up about Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison during an appearance on the 530 Podcast, passionately defending Harrison amid criticism surrounding the Mavs' general manager.

"I feel for my boy Jason Kidd as a head coach; I feel for my boy Nico, my rep at Nike, like a little brother to me. I feel for him because of what he took," said Payton of Harrison.

Payton added, "He's the president/general manager; he can't make the calls alone. All you fans messing with him, get out of here like that. It wasn't his call; it wasn't his decision. He made a decision on what he was told to do or what had to be done. I'm happy for him. What's going to happen? Get all the guys to get healthy. If their whole team gets healthy, Dallas is gonna be a beast." 

While Payton's support may be rooted in a personal connection, Dallas Mavericks fans may disagree with his sentiment. He traded, arguably one of the best players in the league, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers, which sparked backlash across the fanbase. 

However, the Dallas Mavericks landed the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and they have a chance to take  Duke star, Cooper Flagg. They have a chance to reset and retool the roster around Flagg.