Mavericks' candidate to replace Nico Harrison is quickly gaining serious momentum

The Dallas Mavericks fired Nico Harrison after just 11 games this season, and their replacement search is already in the works. Dallas will have plenty of options to pick from, including external candidates such as Dennis Lindsey, but one of their most intriguing choices is already right in front of them in Michael Finley.

Finley is Dallas' co-interim general manager alongside Matt Riccardi for the time being, and he made a great case as to why he's the right man to be the Mavericks' next general manager on the blue carpet last night before Mavs Ball in downtown Dallas. He has been running the team with Riccardi for the past four months, and his time as the captain of the ship may last even longer if Patrick Dumont hires him to run basketball operations moving forward.

Michael Finley makes his strongest push yet to be the Mavs' next GM

Several Mavericks executives spoke to the media on the blue carpet at Mavs Ball, including Rick Welts, Ethan Casson, and Riccardi. Still, Finley's statement on potentially becoming the next GM of the Mavs was the boldest statement of the night.

"I think I am Dallas," Finley opened with.

Well, that's a way to answer why you think you should be Dallas' next general manager. This was the first time that he had been asked about this during an open media availability, and he made his response count.

This open position has likely been on his mind since the moment Harrison was fired, and he has the resume to win over Mavericks fans. They're going to be looking for a great hire to be Harrison's sucessor, and Finley would be a solid option to lead Dallas into aa new era.

He played for Dallas from 1996 until 2005, and Mavericks fans are already extremely familiar with him on and off the court. His 12 years in the front office give him a built-in advantage as well, as he's seen the team at its best and worst.

"I’m everything Dallas is about," Finley said. "I played here, through the good times and the bad times, and as a fan of the Mavericks, I know what it takes, and I know what the fans are looking for. So I would love to have the chance to lead this franchise into the future and to ultimately championship contenders."

Finley's familiarity with the Mavericks organization as a whole gives him an advantage over other candidates, given that he's been with the organization for over 20 years, and this statement alone won many fans over.

Mavericks fans want the team to hire someone who understands the fan base and what it stands for, and according to his statement, Finley believes that he has this.

Dallas' GM decision will take some time

Finding a new general manager will be one of the biggest moves of the offseason, but Mavericks fans who want this move to happen sooner rather than later may be out of luck. Rick Welts said that the team isn't in a rush to hire a new GM, and "hopefully" they'll have a new one by the time that the draft rolls around.

Dumont and company are obviously being extremely cautious with this process, given how poorly the end of Nico Harrison's time in Dallas went, and it wouldn't be a shock if the Mavericks wait a while before they make a decision. Welts said that they're looking for someone who will run the team for years to come, and Dallas' search here must be thorough to ensure the right person gets the job.

The Mavericks' last GM traded Luka Doncic less than a year after he made the NBA Finals, and this hire could define the next era of Mavs basketball. Dallas lucked out by winning the draft lottery and selecting Cooper Flagg, and they have to find a premier candidate who fans will embrace with open arms.

Riccardi, Finley, and Lindsey are all expected to be in the hunt for the Mavericks' open general manager position, sources told The Smoking Cuban, and if Mavericks fans had their pick right now, it sounds like they're leaning with Finley.