Knicks Executive Sends Shot at Mavericks After Winning NBA Finals

For the first time since 1973, the New York Knicks are NBA champions. They took down the San Antonio Spurs in five games, completing an extremely impressive playoff run where they went 16-3 on their way to winning a title. At one point, they had won 12 straight playoff games, which is an absurd run.

It was just another reason for Dallas Mavericks fans to have disdain for Nico Harrison, as there were touches of the Mavs all over the Knicks.

The most obvious example was Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, who was drafted by the Mavs in the same draft they acquired Luka Doncic. He had a dominant 45 points in the closeout Game 5 in San Antonio. He left the Mavericks in free agency in 2022 after the Mavericks waited too long to show interest in re-signing him. By the time they were ready to engage in extension talks, he was worth a lot more than they could offer.

Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) walks off the court after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Casey Smith Sends Shot at Dallas Mavericks

Another big reason for their success is their training staff overhaul, led by Vice President of Sports Medicine Casey Smith. He had been the head athletic trainer in Dallas from 2004 through 2023 before Nico Harrison decided to show Smith the door, seemingly because Smith had too much sway within the organization.

How Harrison went about that didn't buy him any favors, either. According to reports, Smith was tending to his ailing mother when Harrison called him over Zoom and dismissed him. With how beloved Smith was by former players, that did not sit well.

Casey Smith now has the last laugh. After the Knicks won the championship on Saturday night, Smith sent out a post on X, seemingly sending a shot at the Mavs for letting so many talented people walk out the door.

"Shout out to my real ones... They said we weren’t a good fit for their culture. Said we weren’t good enough in our roles. Peter Patton, Heather Mau, Jalen [Brunson]. We did and will continue to do the work."

Shout out to my real ones. @jalenbrunson1 @PJPatton52 @heathaaamau They said we weren’t a good fit for their culture. Said we weren’t good enough in our roles. Peter Patton, Heather Mau, Jalen. We did and will continue to do the work.
— Casey Smith (@CaseyRySmith) June 14, 2026

The two other people he mentioned are also former Mavericks. Heather Mau is the senior athletic trainer for the Knicks, but she was an assistant trainer for the Mavs from 2019 to 2024. She followed Smith to the Knicks once he landed his new job.

Peter Patton was a shooting coach for Dallas from 2018 to 2023, spent two years with the Chicago Bulls, and is now with the Knicks.

Nico Harrison's horrific decision-making cost the Dallas Mavericks the chance of being a perennial contender, and it was all because of his ego more than anything.

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