Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
It’s been over a month since the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers, but fans of the team have still not gotten over the controversial move. Dallas GM Nico Harrison has become Public Enemy No. 1 among the Mavs faithful, but P.J. Washington is officially fed up with the many people vocally calling for him to be fired during games.
If you didn’t believe in the concept of karma before the Dallas Mavericks pulled the trigger on one of the most shocking trades in NBA history toward the beginning of February, you were treated to plenty of evidence it exists based on what transpired after the team shipped off Luka Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.
It appeared Los Angeles had fleeced their trade partner after the details of the blockbuster deal were released, and while Davis gave Mavericks fans a glimmer of hope with a monster performance during his first game with Dallas, it was firmly extinguished when he prematurely exited it due to the injury that’s kept him sidelined ever since.
Things took yet another turn for the worse when Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending ACL injury at the start of March, and the rest of the team has been dropping like flies due to the various ailments that led to Dallas playing a recent game with a grand total of seven healthy players at their disposal.
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison may not have been the only person responsible for the Doncic trade, but he’s shouldered the bulk of the blame among a fanbase that has seized onto the “Fire Nico” movement that has taken Dallas by storm.
One of those supporters was sitting near the basket during Sunday’s game between the Mavericks and the 76ers and opted to scream that rallying cry a couple of times while P.J. Washington was shooting free throws—much to the chagrin of the forward who repeatedly told him to “Sit your a— down.”
PJ telling me 2x to
“sit your ass down”
after the loud
FIRE NICO!
during his FTsI wish I didn’t have to do it when Mavs are shooting FTs but it’s not really effective any other time.
I’m sorry. pic.twitter.com/b8hKco6oKY
— the revolution lives (@MVPLuka77) March 16, 2025
According to The Dallas Morning News, Washington made it pretty clear he’s fed up with the “Fire Nico” interruptions in the wake of the 130-125 loss to Philadelphia, saying:
“At the end of the day, trades happen. We understand we have a new team now.
All that ‘Fire Nico’ stuff, we’re sick and tired of hearing it. We just want to go out there and play, and we want the fans to support us no matter who’s on the floor. That’s just how I feel about it.”
Something tells me that’s not going to stop Mavericks fans from partaking, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.