With the Dallas Mavericks’ season taking a downward spiral since general manager Nico Harrison traded away 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic, the backlash directed at him has reached an all-time high. Over the past 24 hours, that criticism has only intensified.

In the last week, the Mavericks announced plans to raise ticket prices by an average of 8%, despite currently sitting as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. The news didn’t sit well with fans.

Then, on Monday, veteran star guard Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee. Irving had been playing nearly 39 minutes per game at 32 years old, the most of any player since the trade that sent Doncic away.

While Harrison had no control over Irving’s unexpected injury, he has found himself at the center of much of the criticism-especially regarding how the Doncic situation was handled. However, on Tuesday, Harrison responded with class to the devastating Irving news, issuing a heartfelt statement expressing support for his star guard.

“There aren’t words to fully describe who Kyrie Irving is to this team or what he means to us as an organization,” Harrison said. “Kyrie is the heart and soul of this team, and he has embraced the city of Dallas as his home and our fans as an extension of his own family.”

He added, “I’ve been fortunate to have witnessed his journey, his continued evolution and growth over the years, and am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to see him approach the game of basketball with the same energy and fierce passion for the game that he did as a young man on the verge of his career.

His work ethic and absolute dedication to his craft, it’s cut from the cloth of greats. I know it, I lived it, and I see the same ferocity and passion in him that I saw in Kobe. All my thoughts and that of our staff are with Kyrie and his family, and we are confident that he will come back from this stronger than ever just like he always has.”

Harrison was hired as the Mavericks’ general manager in June 2021, succeeding Donnie Nelson. While he played a key role in the organization’s resurgence, which led to an NBA Finals appearance last year, he has also made significant missteps in the eyes of many NBA and Mavericks fans.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have been thriving, winning six straight games and 18 of their last 22, which has propelled them to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. In contrast, the Mavericks are battling for a play-in spot amid a string of injuries that have derailed their season.