The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Donnie Nelson and completely shook things up in 2021 after a former professional gambler named Haralabos Voulgaris became the person owner Mark Cuban was listening to (subscription required). Nelson drafted Luka Doncic and spent 24 years with the Mavericks. He never traded Dirk Nowitzki and wouldn't have wanted to be known as the man who dealt Doncic. His replacement, Nico Harrison, traded Luka to the Lakers less than four years later and just months after the superstar took the Mavs to the NBA Finals.
The Mavericks were facing turmoil in 2021.