[Townsend] Nico Harrison: "We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer. And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”
“I understand why they would be shocked, initially,” Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison told The News. “But I do believe that we positioned ourselves to win now and also win in the future.
“And that’s ultimately the goal and why we’re here. It’s one of those things where it’s my job to make the tough decisions that put our goals first and foremost.”
How, when and why did this megadeal come to fruition?
Harrison cited his two-decade relationship with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, starting when Harrison was a Nike executive and Pelinka was a player agent.
Harrison told The News that he and Pelinka began having “basketball” conversations more than a month ago.
“Then all of a sudden we’re like, ‘Would you ever do this?’
‘Nah, you’re joking, right?’
‘Hmm. Interesting. Maybe I would.’
Added Harrison: “And then it just built over time over the last three weeks.”
“We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract,” Harrison said. “And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”
“We really feel that defense wins championships, and we think the players that we’re bringing in add to the culture, which is important to what J-Kidd and I have been building here from day one,” Harrison said.
“And then obviously, when you get an all NBA player who’s also a first team All-Defensive player, we think that’s gonna help us where we need it the most, on the defensive end.”