The Mavericks stole headlines on Tuesday by officially making the decision to fire general manager Nico Harrison, as Shams Charania reported. While all eyes are focused on Dallas, the Oklahoma City Thunder could surprisingly be one of the biggest winners from the move.
The Thunder and Mavericks not only both play in the Western Conference, but they also happen to hold a rivalry. OKC-Dallas contests tend to be competitive, but the Mavericks' Harrison decision could lead to a rebuild in Dallas.
There are rumors that Harrison's firing could lead to Anthony Davis being traded, as the now-ousted GM was, of course, the one who dealt Luka Doncic for AD, Max Christie, and a first-round pick.
With Harrison out of the picture -- and the Mavs holding a 3-8 record -- dealing Davis away seems to be a possibility. If the Mavericks were to enter a complete rebuild, it could lead to multiple years of underperformance from a team that was seen as a championship contender just a couple of seasons ago.
Thunder set to benefit from potential Mavericks' rebuild
Oklahoma City defeated the Golden State Warriors by a final score of 126-102 on Tuesday night. The Thunder now hold a stellar 11-1 record.
There is no question that this OKC squad features the potential to repeat as champions.
The Western Conference, though, is extremely deep. A couple of seasons ago, it appeared that Luka Doncic and the Mavericks would give Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder trouble for years to come.
As mentioned, a rivalry was brewing. Their 2024 Western Conference Semifinals matchup even saw Dallas earn a series win.
Fast-forward to the 2025-26 campaign, and the Mavs are now without Doncic. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving are battling injury troubles.
The Mavericks are struggling without question and are near the bottom of the West.
The Thunder's road to the NBA Finals is still going to be crowded, but things would be much more difficult for OKC if Dallas were playing well.
Even after the Doncic trade, there was still initially a chance that Dallas would be able to compete at a high level with Irving, AD, and Cooper Flagg leading the charge.
Now with a rebuild becoming a realistic possibility, however, the Mavericks may not pose too much of a threat to the Thunder.
The Mavericks have serious questions to address, while the Thunder are on the verge of building a dynasty.