Colin Cowherd Defends Nico Harrison's Luka Doncic Trade Amid Injury

The Fox Sports analyst sees some logic in the controversial deal that sent the Mavericks star to the Lakers.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 1:28pm

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Nico Harrison, the former general manager of the Dallas Mavericks, faced intense backlash from fans when he traded star player Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last season. However, with Doncic now sidelined indefinitely due to a hamstring injury, Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd has come out in defense of Harrison's controversial decision, noting that it was not entirely irrational in retrospect given Doncic's conditioning and injury concerns.

Why it matters

The Doncic trade was one of the most polarizing moves in recent NBA history, with Mavericks fans vowing to never forgive Harrison for sending their beloved superstar to the Lakers. Cowherd's comments provide a different perspective on the deal and could potentially sway some public opinion, even if the majority still view it as a disastrous decision.

The details

In the trade, the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick from the Lakers in exchange for Doncic. However, Davis only played 29 games for Dallas due to various injuries before being traded to the Washington Wizards in February. Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont later fired Harrison and apologized to fans for approving the Doncic trade.

  • Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers last season.
  • Doncic suffered a hamstring injury with just a handful of games remaining in the 2026 regular season, sidelining him indefinitely.
  • Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont fired Nico Harrison in November and apologized to fans for the Doncic trade.

The players

Nico Harrison

The former general manager of the Dallas Mavericks who traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Luka Doncic

The star player of the Dallas Mavericks who was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers by Nico Harrison.

Colin Cowherd

The Fox Sports analyst who defended Nico Harrison's controversial decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

Patrick Dumont

The owner of the Dallas Mavericks who fired Nico Harrison and apologized to fans for approving the Luka Doncic trade.

Anthony Davis

The player the Mavericks received from the Lakers in the Luka Doncic trade, but who only played 29 games for Dallas before being traded to the Washington Wizards.

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What they’re saying

“When you look at that trade now, I still wouldn't have made it, but it does make you think, okay, like Nico Harrison was thinking, he's going to age really quickly. With the Luka injury, yes, he's great. But you do understand a little bit what Nico Harrison (was thinking). If he had gotten a couple of first-round picks with it, you would've said, 'I kind of get what he was thinking.' I wouldn't have done it, and without the draft picks, it's egregious.”

— Colin Cowherd, Fox Sports Analyst

What’s next

Doncic will seek specialized treatment in Europe to expedite his return from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him indefinitely.

The takeaway

While the Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers remains one of the most controversial moves in recent NBA history, Colin Cowherd's comments suggest that Nico Harrison's concerns about Doncic's conditioning and injury risk may have had some merit, even if the final deal was still seen as a disaster for the Mavericks.