Dallas Mavericks fans may never have the full answer to why the team traded away superstar guard Luka Dončić, but the picture became a little clearer Monday. Firings to key members of the team’s health and performance staff may have resulted in a divide between Dončić’s camp and team general manager Nico Harrison, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
The firing of the team’s former director of health and performance Casey Smith in 2023, in particular, may have created friction within the organization. Smith was respected and well-liked within the Mavericks’ organization. Franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki credited Smith for prolonging the Hall of Famer’s 21-year career. Smith was also close with Dončić, and reportedly helped him make the “cultural transition” from Slovenia to the United States, per MacMahon.
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Smith was surprisingly fired by Harrison in 2023. The firing came shortly after Nowitzki was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith — who traveled to Ohio to be with his mother in the final weeks of her life — was fired by Harrison on a video call. It ended Smith’s tenure with the team, which stretched almost two decades.
In addition to Smith, team athletic performance director Jeremy Holsopple and manual therapist Casey Spangler were fired last June, shortly after the team appeared in the NBA Finals. Both men were pivotal to Dončić adjusting to life in a new country.
Harrison was asked about Smith’s firing during a meeting with Dallas media last week and said it was “kind of a joke” to imply it affected the team, per ESPN.
“You bringing up Casey [Smith] is like almost, it’s kind of a joke,” Harrison said Tuesday during an availability with selected Dallas-based reporters. “Like last year, Casey wasn’t around, and we made it to the Finals. No one brought up Casey last year. So, to bring him up this year doesn’t really make sense. He’s been away for two years. So it’s — I’m not even going to comment on that.”
Smith’s firing reportedly resulted in Nowitzki distancing himself from the franchise. He previously played a more active role in advising the team and its players, but is no longer involved in the team’s inner workings, according to MacMahon. Smith’s firing also may have led to long-time Mavericks staffers leaving the team.
Mavericks new training staff is a source of friction
To replace Smith, Harrison hired Johann Bilsborough to be the team’s director of player health and performance and Keith Belton as its athletic performance director. But friction between the two — and disagreements over injury diagnoses — has led to uncomfortable situations around the team.
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Bilsborough and Belton reportedly do not get along, and engaged in a heated confrontation over the handling of Dereck Lively II’s ankle injury. While rehabbing, Belton put Lively through an intense workout and believed he could return to action in days. Bilsborough was unsure and sent Lively for a CT scan, which revealed a stress fracture in his ankle. The injury kept Lively sidelined for two-and-a-half months.
The incident led to a confrontation between Bilsborough and Belton. No punches were thrown, but the two reportedly “were going at it,” per ESPN.
The Mavericks’ overhauled training staff also ran into disagreements with Dončić’s camp over injury timelines. Dončić battled multiple calf injuries throughout the season, and disagreements over his injury timeline may have caused a divide between the star and Harrison.
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Following Dončić re-injuring his calf on Christmas, Bilsborough believed the Mavericks guard could return in two to three weeks. Dončić’s team pushed for six weeks, believing Dončić returned from the injury too early, which led to its re-aggravation during the Christmas game. Harrison blamed Dončić’s conditioning for the injury.
That divide grew larger after Harrison insisted Dončić travel with the team toward the end of his rehab. Dončić’s team argued that he was better off staying in Dallas to utilize team facilities multiple times a day. Harrison believed Dončić needed to scrimmage with the NBA squad. Dončić’s team reportedly told Harrison Dončić was happy to remain in Dallas and scrimmage with the team’s G League affiliate, which is located in Frisco, a suburb close to Dallas.
The next time Dončić’s camp heard from Harrison, it was to announce Dončić’s shocking trade to the Lakers, per MacMahon.
Luka Dončić excelling after trade to Lakers
While Dončić was initially angry and frustrated by the trade, that has not shown on the court. The 26-year-old Dončić hasn’t missed a beat with the Lakers, and is averaging 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, virtually the same totals he put up with the Mavericks.
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The Lakers went 19-13 with Dončić in tow, earning the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. The Mavericks, meanwhile, failed to make the playoffs after losing in the play-in tournament.
Injuries played a major role in the Mavericks losing that contest, with Anthony Davis putting up 40 points despite a left adductor strain.
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