Nico Harrison's Doncic gamble will immediately be put to the test by Kyrie Irving

The Dallas Mavericks and Nico Harrison pulled off the wildest trade in NBA history almost three weeks ago as Dallas sent Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round pick right before midnight. The late-night blockbuster sent the NBA world into shock for weeks as fans had to accept the fact that Doncic wouldn't be sporting a Mavericks jersey anymore. Many fans expected Doncic to continue to build toward being a Mavericks legend and spend his entire career with the franchise, and no one could believe that wouldn't be happening anymore.

Harrison and the Mavericks had been interested in Davis for a while, and rather than shopping Doncic around, they only approached the Lakers about this deal. Davis' agent, Rich Paul, made it clear to The Smoking Cuban that Davis being traded to the Mavericks was not a shock, as he knew how much Harrison admired Davis' game, but everything else around the trade was a shock, including the timing and who was included in the deal (Doncic). This trade broke Mavericks fans' hearts, as Doncic gave his all to the franchise over his seven and a half seasons in Dallas, but Harrison and Patrick Dumont believed that this move would make the team better now and into the future.

Harrison was intrigued by Davis' two-way ability, and concerns about Doncic's conditioning, injuries, and leadership led him to trade the 25-year-old generational superstar. On top of all of that, Harrison didn't want to give Doncic the supermax contract that he was owed this summer.

Doncic was fully prepared to sign the supermax with Dallas, and there were no indications from him or his camp that he was considering not signing the deal despite some speculation following Harrison's press conference the day following the trade. He wanted to be a Maverick for life, but Harrison had other plans.

Kyrie Irving puts Nico Harrison in a brutal bind

With Harrison not giving Doncic a supermax contract this upcoming summer and trading him before he had to do so, now the Mavericks are going to be in a similar situation, except with Kyrie Irving.

Irving has a player option this summer, and if he opts out, he is eligible for a five-year, $313 million contract or a three-year, $176 million deal. Neither one of these deals touches the five-year, $346 million deal that Doncic was eligible for, but it still looks like Irving will be receiving a massive contract if he stays with the Mavericks. He has all of the leverage in the world this offseason since Harrison's plan with Davis all revolves around him teaming up with Irving, and Harrison's risk management following the Doncic trade is undoubtedly going to be put to the test this summer.

Losing Irving for nothing would have catastrophic effects, as the Mavericks would have to start over more than they already are with Doncic out of the picture, and the city would be heartbroken once again. This isn't to say that it looks like Irving will leave, as early reporting has indicated that he wants to remain in Dallas, but it is to say that Harrison will likely be forced to give Irving a max contract just a few months after trading Doncic for not wanting to give him a supermax.

Harrison not wanting to give Doncic a supermax contract despite leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season and being an MVP finalist is a headscratcher, to begin with, and fans will likely be shocked when they see the contract the Mavs are poised to give Irving this summer. Every move that Harrison makes moving forward will be under a microscope, and that includes Irving's potential extension this summer.

With Doncic gone, Irving and Davis are the new faces of the team, and Harrison is entering a pivotal summer as one of these faces of the team could leave if he pleases. Anonymous NBA executives polled by ESPN believe that Irving has more leverage than anyone else in the league in free agency this summer, and giving Irving a max contract after not wanting to give one to Doncic looks like a confident, but necessary move moving forward for the team.