The Dallas Mavericks’ front office has thinned out again, and the latest departures leave Michael Finley as the lone holdover from Nico Harrison’s regime.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, vice president of strategy and analytics Andrew Baker and director of pro player personnel Makhtar Ndiaye both exited the franchise earlier this month.
“I’m told vice president of strategy and analytics Andrew Baker and director of pro player personnel Makhtar Ndiaye parted ways with the franchise earlier this month,” he wrote.
Baker and Ndiaye were both brought in by Harrison and stayed on after his departure, continuing to work under co-interim GMs Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley. Both were still around through July before the organization moved on from them.
Finley remains in place as interim GM, and he is now the only personnel member left from Harrison’s run. A two-time All-Star in Dallas during his playing days, Finley also won an NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
His connection to the franchise may have helped keep him in the building. Baker, meanwhile, was reportedly retained because of a series of successful offseason moves he helped make. Ndiaye also serves as the general manager of the Senegal national team and is heading into a key stretch of qualifying games with coach and former Mavericks big man DeSagana Diop.
The Mavericks have now largely wiped the slate clean after Harrison’s firing, which came amid backlash over several decisions, especially the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
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