Michael Finley was the member of Nico Harrison’s front office team who voiced the strongest opposition to the Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to league sources. Finley will share interim general manager duties with former Nets executive Matt Riccardi following Harrison’s dismissal.
The Dallas-area native Riccardi joins Finley in leading the franchise’s basketball operations on an interim basis. Both executives will oversee personnel decisions as the organization searches for a permanent general manager.
Finley joined the Mavericks front office in 2017 and received a promotion during the 2023-24 season. He played for Dallas from 1996 until 2005, establishing himself as a franchise cornerstone before transitioning to an executive role upon his retirement.
His opposition to trading Doncic highlights a philosophical divide within the previous front office structure. Harrison ultimately executed the controversial deal that sent the franchise superstar to another team in exchange for Anthony Davis and other assets.
Footage of Finley taking a celebratory beer away from Doncic after the Mavericks clinched their 2024 NBA Finals berth circulated widely on social media. However, the video omitted a key detail in which the drink was returned to Doncic once he was out of public view in the hallway of the visitors’ locker room in Minnesota.
The incident occurred following Dallas’s series-clinching victory on the road. Finley’s action was intended to manage public optics rather than deny the celebration itself.