Over the last two weeks, both the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks have made franchise-altering decisions.
On Jan. 24, 2025, the Dallas Cowboys hired their 10th head coach in franchise history. Jerry Jones decided that the best move for the head coaching vacancy was to promote Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. This decision has been met with mixed reactions, as Schottenheimer’s inexperience as a play-caller is not promising especially after letting go of a proven Super Bowl-winning head coach in Mike McCarthy.
One week later, on February 2nd, 2025, the Dallas Mavericks’ General Manager Nico Harrison shook the entire sports world by announcing that he would be trading the face of the franchise, Luka Dončić, to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return, the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. The decision to trade Dončić, a five-time All-Star and one of the league’s best players, has been met with widespread criticism and disbelief. Leaving Mavericks fans gutted by the move.
Both of these moves are infuriating as a diehard Dallas sports fan like myself. The Cowboys’ hiring of Schottenheimer feels disappointing, and the Mavericks’ decision to part ways with a generational talent like Dončić may haunt the franchise for years to come. Below is an in-depth look at what the future holds for both the Dallas Cowboys and Mavericks.
The Dallas Cowboys:
The Cowboys hiring Brian Schottenheimer again just feels disappointing, especially considering the candidates that were available for the job. Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, and Kellen Moore all seemed like stronger possibilities rather than sticking with an in-house hire. The Dallas Cowboys haven’t seen success since 1995. With the Washington Commanders now reaching an NFC Championship, that leaves “America’s Team” as the only franchise in the conference without a conference championship appearance in the last 29 years. Furthermore, the Cowboys have just four playoff wins since 2002. For comparison, the Houston Texans, who were established that same year, have six playoff wins.
The Cowboys are in a bad state, and the dysfunction of the Jones family’s leadership is not helping optimism in Dallas. Jerry Jones also decided to hire former Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus as the new defensive coordinator and former Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams as the new offensive coordinator. While the Eberflus hiring makes sense, the Klayton Adams hiring is much more questionable.
The Cowboys also have some big decisions to make in the upcoming free agency window. Notable free agents include DeMarcus Lawrence, Brandon Cooks, Zach Martin, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Lewis. With a projected cap space of $275 million in 2025, the Cowboys need to retain some of these key assets if they want to bounce back from their disappointing season.
In terms of the draft, the Cowboys currently hold the 12th pick, and there’s only one name they should focus on: Ashton Jeanty. The Boise State running back and Heisman runner-up is a player the Cowboys desperately need.
“I definitely would love to play for the Cowboys, coming from Dallas it would be a dream come true,” Jeanty said.
In addition to drafting Jeanty the Cowboys need to address left guard as well as another wide receiver depending upon what they decide to do with Brandin Cooks. Overall, the next few months for the Dallas Cowboys will be crucial in determining how successful they can be in the coming years.
The Dallas Mavericks:
The Dallas Mavericks made an even bigger shockwave when General Manager Nico Harrison announced the trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return, the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. Trading Dončić, a five-time All-Star and one of the league’s top players, has sparked widespread criticism. Harrison justified this move as a desperate “Win now move” but it remains certainly unclear if his decision is enough to justify losing such a generational and beloved talent
As a Dallas sports fan, I’ve experienced a lot of heartbreak—Cowboys playoff failures, a Stanley Cup loss, two Western Conference Finals losses with the Stars, an NBA Finals loss, and of course, the infamous Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. But nothing has hurt as much as seeing Luka Dončić being done so wrong.
Nico Harrison may have just made the worst move in NBA history by trading away a generational talent still in his prime at just 25 years old for a 31-year-old Anthony Davis and a single first-round pick. This feels like outright robbery by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Mavericks were coming off an incredible Finals run despite dealing with several injuries in the postseason. Now, during the 2025 regular season, injuries have again plagued the team, with Dončić, Dante Exum, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively all missing time. Despite this, the team was still competing for a championship, sitting eighth in the Western Conference. Yet, they made the shocking decision to trade away the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki.
This move feels like a complete joke. The Mavericks went from having the best offensive duo in the NBA with Dončić and Kyrie Irving—who had already proven themselves in the playoffs, to now relying on a strong defensive frontcourt of Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Derick Livley.
Only time will tell how this trade will shake out for both the Mavericks and the Lakers. But as of now, the only word that comes to mind is gutted. I feel absolutely betrayed by Nico Harrison, who had previously proven himself as a competent GM by acquiring P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford last season—two moves that helped fuel the Mavericks’ Finals run. Unfortunately, this trade overshadows all of that. The future of Dallas basketball is now filled with uncertainty.
Overall:
Overall both the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks have made franchise-altering decisions that will define the future of each team. The Cowboys’ decision to promote Brian Schottenheimer and stick with a familiar face, rather than pursue an external candidate, shows yet another missed opportunity for change. With the pressure mounting, the franchise must now focus on its roster through free agency and the draft to avoid another disappointing season.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks’ shocking trade of Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers has left fans reeling and questioning the long-term direction of the franchise. While the addition of Anthony Davis and a first-round pick may be seen as an attempt to win now, it is difficult to ignore the immense loss of a generational talent in his prime. With such a bold move, Nico Harrison has taken a significant risk, and only time will reveal if it was the right call.
For diehard fans like myself, these decisions are heartbreaking. The future of Dallas sports now hangs in the balance, and the coming months will be critical in determining if both teams can recover from these controversial moves or if it will be time to look forward to Texas Rangers baseball and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
