Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison met with select media this week and doubled-down on his decision to trade Quentin Grimes to Philadelphia for Caleb Martin.
The only NBA fandom that has had a worse year than those that care about the Philadelphia 76ers is that of the Dallas Mavericks — and with every passing day, the organization seems to twist the knife in further.
Mavericks president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison emerged from the shadows to speak to the media this week for just the second time since trading away Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of the night on Feb. 1.
And in that spirit of complete transparency, Harrison held the meeting with select media members and stipulated that no cameras or recording devices would be allowed. Because that’s normal.
I’m not sure that limiting the media or the recording of it helped in any way, as the full transcript of the meeting reveals Harrison’s comments and replies to reporters questions that somehow continue to make things look even worse on behalf of the organization. Such highlights include doubling-down on his February blockbuster, with Harrison stating “there’s no regrets on the trade”.
The full transcript is long but wildly entertaining, for what it’s worth. Well, it’s entertaining as long as Harrison isn’t the general manager of the team you love and support.
But what does any of it have to do with the Sixers? Not much! So let’s focus on the other trade the Mavericks made that garnered less attention on the outset, but is looking like another extremely questionable move from Harrison — Caleb Martin for Quentin Grimes.
Just a few days after the league-shocking Doncic trade, the Mavericks acquired Martin from the Sixers and, in return, sent Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick to Philadelphia. At Tuesday’s meeting, Harrison was asked about the move.
Tim Cato, DLLS: Nico, you didn’t speak following the trade deadline, having addressed the Quentin Grimes trade. I think I understand loosely why that trade was made. You guys did not feel that you were going to retain Quentin Grimes as he went into free agency. Why was a draft pick attached to that trade, and what were the logic behind the negotiations of that deal in general?
Nico Harrison: Well, it was really about getting Caleb Martin. It was less about Grimes. We, obviously, we traded for Grimes, and we got a good look at Grimes. Great player. I think it worked out for both teams. It worked out for him. He’s a free agent situation, so we got to go to a team where he could shoot all the balls and really display his offense. And for us, we weren’t interested in that. We were interested in how he could help us win games. And we had the opportunity to get Caleb, which the opportunity only afford itself because Anthony Davis, he gave us that ability, because he had a trade clause, a trade kicker, and he opted out of that. And so that gave us the room to be able to do that.
(Am I supposed to be able to take the phrase “he could shoot all the balls” seriously?)
Well, shoot all the balls, Grimes did! He played 28 games for the Sixers, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest shooting 46.9% from the floor and 37.3% from long range. And that’s all while no stat line is going to show the other things Grimes did for Philadelphia, including keeping the Sixers afloat physically and mentally throughout the final weeks of the season, practically single-handedly.
Martin, meanwhile, played in just 14 contests for the Mavericks, averaging 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists shooting 38.9% from the floor and 25.0% from three-point range. At the time of the trade, Martin had missed the previous dozen games for the Sixers due to a hip injury that ultimately kept him sidelined another whole month before taking the floor for Dallas.
When pressed further about the specifics of the trade, especially the Mavericks’ decision to give up what is now a high-value 2025 second-rounder in addition to Grimes, Harrison didn’t mince words.
Tim Cato, DLLS: “The perception is that Grimes is a younger, better player than Caleb Martin. Maybe you disagree, but why was a second-round pick, a valuable second round pick attached to that deal?”
Nico Harrison: “Well, if you don’t like Caleb, then you’re not going to like the trade. But we valued Caleb more so, and we also got a second-round pick back.”
Alright then.
First, let’s get it out of the way that the second-round pick that the Mavericks got “back” was not originally in the trade deal at all. That concession was made only after there were concerns with Martin’s hip after his physical for his new team. The original deal that Harrison was happy to take was simply getting Martin in return for Grimes and the 2025 second, so I’m not sure Harrison should even get credit for the pick added later. Plus, that second-rounder the Sixers coughed up for Dallas to take Martin is their own for 2030 — where in the draft order that 2030 second-rounder will ultimately fall is completely up in the air as well.
The 2025 second they sent to Philadelphia, however, has settled at 35th overall — just five picks into the later round. Second-round players do not always pan out well in the league, but it is a high-value pick with big potential that the Sixers got out of the deal.
To recap: the Mavericks traded away the better, younger player in Grimes and a valuable second-rounder for a struggling, hobbled Martin that is on a contract that doesn’t expire until after the 2027-28 season (with a player option for that final season) and a 2030 second-rounder that could end up being the last overall pick in that draft.
The Sixers not only got Grimes for the latter half of this season, but will have a chance to keep Grimes around as he is due to be a restricted free agent, giving Philadelphia the chance to match any offer sheet he may sign with another team to retain him.
All because Harrison “valued” Martin more… OK then. Well, on behalf of the Sixers, thanks, Nico!
Daryl Morey (and all other general managers) should really send Harrison a fruit basket, because he’s making them all look better by comparison.