Mavs fans ejected from arena after 'Fire Nico' sign, chants
Multiple Dallas Mavericks fans were ejected in the second half of Monday's 129-128 overtime loss at home against the Sacramento Kings for violating the NBA's code of conduct, a Mavs spokesperson announced postgame, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
The ejected fans were all calling for the dismissal of Mavs general manager Nico Harrison after his controversial decision to trade franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. In the first incident, a pair of fans held up a "Fire Nico" sign. One of the fans previously mouthed the same words when featured on the jumbotron during a stoppage in play.
"In the first incident, the guest brought in a sign that broke the following rule included in the NBA Code of Conduct: Clothing, garments or signs displaying explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterization towards any person(s)," Mavericks vice president of corporate communications Erin Finegold said in a statement to reporters, including MacMahon.
Another two men were tossed from American Airlines Center after chanting "Fire Nico" and getting into a verbal altercation with Mavs minority owner Mark Cuban, who was seated behind the team bench.
Cuban told the fans to "shut the f--k up and sit the f--k down," according to footage from a fan that MacMahon viewed. The billionaire said he was responding to the fans pointing and shouting at him but didn't know what they had said.
Cuban added that the men were yelling "Fire Nico" while the Mavericks were shooting free throws and again during an important possession down the stretch of regulation.
An X user said he was one of the ejected fans and tweeted that he'd been sporting a T-shirt depicting Mavs majority owner Miriam Adelson wearing a clown nose. He also confirmed that they had been chanting "Fire Nico."
"In the second incident, the fan wore a T-shirt that also broke the rule (cited) and was also intoxicated, disruptive and uncooperative, all listed in the NBA Fan Code of Conduct," Finegold said in the statement.
The crowd booed both ejections.
Dallas acquired Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick from the Lakers in exchange for Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris.
The Mavs have dropped three of five games since the shocking blockbuster deal.
Davis sustained an adductor strain in his first game with the team and is reportedly expected to miss multiple weeks.
Dallas sits eighth in the West with a 28-26 record.