The Dallas Mavericks have finally replaced former general manager Nico Harrison, hiring former Toronto Raptors general manager and vice president Masai Ujiri, the team revealed Monday.
“Masai Ujiri is one of the great basketball leaders of this generation and his addition to our franchise is a critical step in meeting our goals,” Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont stated in a statement. “We are honored to have him join the Mavs family. We welcome his energy and determination along with his leadership, experience and many accomplishments as a basketball executive. We are very excited about the future of our team.”
After a six-month process to find a replacement after firing Harrison in November, the Mavericks have selected the guy who will lead them into a new era of the franchise with Cooper Flagg as the face of the team. Ujiri comes with championship experience, having built the 2019 Raptors championship team that notably included the savvy trade of DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard, which ultimately catapulted the Raptors to their championship.
“I’m honored to join the Dallas Mavericks and step into this role at such an important time for the organization,” Ujiri stated in a statement. “This is a franchise with a proud history, passionate fans, and a commitment to winning. I look forward to working with our players, coaches, and leadership team to build something that reflects that standard and competes at the highest level. We will win in Dallas.”
Ujiri was with the Raptors for 12 seasons, during which Toronto made the playoffs in all but three seasons with him in charge of the front office. He and the Raptors parted ways in June 2025 and now he’ll bring a level of experience that Harrison severely lacked to Dallas.
Ujiri also recently became the primary owner of the WNBA’s expansion Toronto Tempo franchise. The Tempo will embark on their inaugural season when the WNBA season tips off on May 8th.
This should officially close the book on the Harrison era in Dallas, who famously masterminded the trade that sent franchise centerpiece Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a deal centered around Anthony Davis. It’s been a disaster for the Mavericks since, aside from lottery luck that landed them Flagg. Harrison was fired in November and Davis was traded back in February.
With Ujiri installed, the Mavericks can now look ahead to the draft lottery on May 10, where they hope for some more lottery luck to pair Flagg with another top prospect.
