Mavericks GM no longer viewed as laughing stock of the NBA

In the months that followed the Luka Doncic trade, Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison received endless backlash for parting with a superstar talent entering his prime. Following his latest major move, the basketball world has started to go through a change of heart. 

Despite many dubbing it a foolish move, Harrison stood firm on his decision to part with Doncic. Acquiring Anthony Davis in the trade, he envisions building a defensive powerhouse capable of contending for a championship. 

Not long after moving on from a franchise cornerstone, Harrison and the Mavs had some luck bounce their way in historic fashion. Entering the draft lottery with just a 1.8% chance of the top pick, Dallas somehow came out on top. On Wednesday night, Harrison used this selection to bring in highly-touted prospect Cooper Flagg. 

Flagg has long been viewed as a two-way force with a superstar-level ceiling in the NBA. He now joins a readymade roster with former All-Stars and champions in AD, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson. 

During Thursday's episode of Get Up on ESPN, insider Shams Charania praised Harrison for his efforts post-Doncic trade. He feels that with the addition of Flagg the Mavericks potentially have one of the best defensive frontcourts the league has ever seen. 

"Whatever you want to say about the Luka Doncic trade," Charania said. "Nico Harrison has built arguably the best front line in the NBA. You think about Anthony Davis, now Cooper Flagg, Dereck Lively II, they just extended Daniel Gafford." 

A lot of how this unit will look depends on what Flagg looks like on day one entering the league. That said, based on how dominant he was at Duke, it's fair to assume he'll provide some form of boost to the Mavericks on both ends right away. 

This season has been a bit of a whirlwind for Harrison and the Mavericks, but things are looking up for the franchise. Not only do they have a core of All-Stars capable of leading a contender now, but also a new dynamic prospect to build around long-term.