On Tuesday, the Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison in a surprising-but-not-really move.
The timing may be a little bit strange, given that the season is still less than a month old. But to many, this should've happened back in February when Harrison traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a move that still doesn't feel real to this day.
Regardless, Dallas made its decision, and it's hard to disagree with it.
There is a fair argument to be had that the team probably should've just waited until they got healthy again and found their footing, but beyond that, it's hard to say that the Mavericks were wrong here. Harrison set the team back years by trading a 26-year-old star for an aging Anthony Davis, who already had a long injury history. And given that they were the reigning Western Conference champions at the time, this was a shocking move that didn't need to happen, and Dallas didn't need to be in this position.
But because of all of that, in a strange way, Indiana Pacers fans just got another reason to have confidence in the team's front office, which has built a reputation as one of the best in the entire NBA.
The Pacers' front office continues to look better by the day
Indiana just made it to Game 7 of the NBA Finals despite having the 10th-lowest payroll in the league last season, according to Spotrac.
While a lot of this credit (rightfully) goes to the players and coaching, the front office deserves a lot of it as well. They have constantly bought low and sold high at the right time. Indiana's front office has regularly found hidden gems, whether it be via late draft picks, overlooked free agents, or castaways from other teams, and this is why the team has been so successful in recent years while remaining financially flexible.
The Pacers are a well-run organization, and they know what they're doing. Sure, they have made some questionable decisions (the jury is of course still out on the Myles Turner departure), but for the most part, they have given fans reason to have confidence in them.
This season has been a struggle for the Pacers, and that's likely going to be the case the rest of the way. Without Tyrese Haliburton on the floor, they are not going to be serious title contenders. In fact, they would be lucky to even be a Play-In team at this point. However, once the Pacers get their star guard back, they will look to re-enter the title picture.
For that to happen, Indiana's front office needs to ensure that it has the perfect roster to work under Rick Carlisle's system and with Haliburton leading the way.
A lot can go wrong here. The Pacers' front office may end up focusing on staying under the luxury tax too much, moving on from key players like Bennedict Mathurin or Obi Toppin along the way. Or, maybe it's the opposite. Maybe they like the roster so much that they don't make the necessary additions to take them to the next level (see: the Pacers' centers).
Regardless, the Pacers have proven to make the right move time and time again. Fortunately for the fanbase, they shouldn't expect a Harrison situation in Indiana any time soon.