Nico Harrison’s firing gives Timberwolves fans a reason to be grateful

To the surprise of no one, the Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison today, Tuesday, November 11. Harrison, of course, infamously made the absurd swap between Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis. Furthermore, he constructed this team with a distinct lack of perimeter shot creation. After a 3-8 start and the Mavericks sitting in 29th place, this seemed like just a matter of time.

What the heck does this have to do with the Minnesota Timberwolves, you may wonder. While it’s quite basic, the Wolves have incredible organizational stability with one of the most respected executives in Tim Connelly and a superstar in Anthony Edwards. Also, something that has flown under the radar during this whole Mavericks fiasco is the incompetence of owner Patrick Dumont, who of course signed off on the trade.

Wolf fans know what a bad owner can do; they have worked with Glen Taylor for over 30 years. This is the Wolves’ first official year under new owners, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, giving fans another reason to be grateful.

The Timberwolves’ stability and star power give them a clear advantage

I’m not trying to pour salt into the wound of Mavericks fans. Nevertheless, the Wolves’ stability is clearly something to be grateful for. To be a successful front office, you have to take risks, but you can’t be stupid. That’s exactly what Connelly has done since taking over as the Wolves’ president of basketball operations in 2022. Both the Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle trades were risky but understandable moves. And they have delivered a huge amount to the Wolves.

Minnesota has now reached back-to-back conference finals for the first time in franchise history, and Connelly is a big factor in this success. To have a long-term title window, you need at least two things: a star player and a stable organization. This is something that many teams simply don’t have.

While this is an oversimplification and many factors go into a team’s title chances, the importance of these two factors is undeniable. Luckily, the Wolves have both.

Sure, Minnesota has never made a move as bad as the Luka trade, but long-time Timberwolves fans know how much bad ownership and management can hold you back. Even if you’re a younger fan, I’m sure you know all about the flaws during the Kevin Garnett era. Fortunately, the Wolves have turned a leaf and are now title contenders for the foreseeable future.