Mavericks’ dream Nico Harrison replacement target is slipping away by the game

Tim Connelly, the current president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves, has frequently been reported as one of the Dallas Mavericks' top targets to become the team's next general manager after firing Nico Harrison in November. Despite the undeniable ties Connelly has to Dallas, including his relationship with President Ethan Casson, the Timberwolves' playoff performance may cause him to stay put.

Winning is hard to walk away from

They are currently leading the Denver Nuggets 3-2 in their first-round series, and if Minnesota moves on and goes on a deep playoff run, it will make it harder for Connelly to step away from the team that he largely built. The Timberwolves have already made the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons, and every game that they win could pull the Mavericks further away from their dream candidate.

Winning is fragile in today's NBA, and Connelly knows that as well as anyone. He has yet to win an NBA Finals since getting his first GM gig with the Nuggets in 2013, and even though he built the team that won the championship in 2023, he had already left for Minnesota by then.

There's no feeling like winning, and if gets a taste of the NBA Finals for the first time, he may not be able to resist remaining with the Timberwolves. Their midseason trade for Ayo Dosunmu has paid off massively, and this may be the year that they finally break through.

Despite this, there's still a chance he comes to the Mavericks. Their GM search has been leaning external rather than internal for some time now, and Connelly is someone that they covet. He is still under contract in Minnesota until the end of the 2026-27 season, and with the possibility that he may leave the Timberwolves, Dallas is going to be all over him.

Why the door is still open for the Mavericks

How they finish in the NBA Playoffs will likely determine a lot, but the fact that those around the league believe that he's attainable says something. Having the chance to build around a player like Cooper Flagg is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and this could be the next challenge that he is looking to take on in his NBA career.

He has gone from being an intern for the Washington Wizards 30 years ago to becoming one of the best executives in the NBA, and Dallas would be a great next stop for his career. They have a promising young core, multiple draft picks this year, and solid veterans to build around, and Connelly leaving the Timberwolves to come to the Mavericks could all come down to their playoff performance.

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