The Dallas Mavericks' NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks has raised questions about the team's culture and medical staff decisions. Former Mavericks Director of Player Health and Performance Casey Smith, now the Knicks' Vice President of Sports Medicine, took a shot at the Mavericks' regime, led by Nico Harrison, after the Knicks' thrilling win. Smith, a beloved member of the Mavericks' training staff for nearly 20 years, was fired by Harrison after the 2022-23 season. He made his feelings about Dallas loud and clear on social media, tagging Jalen Brunson, Peter Patton, and Heather Mau, all of whom were also let go by Harrison's regime. Brunson played for the Mavericks before signing with the Knicks, while Patton and Mau worked for the Mavericks before joining New York's staff. Patton was a shooting coach for Dallas for five years, and Mau worked on Smith's staff as an assistant athletic trainer. Both were let go by Harrison's regime in back-to-back offseasons, but later headed to New York. This is the regime that Smith was calling out in his post, as they were let go from their former positions in Dallas for reasons that may not have been reasonable. Now they're NBA Champions. Smith directly called out the Mavericks, saying, "they said we weren't a good fit for their culture. Said we weren't good enough in our roles." This was obviously a shot at the people who let him, Mau, and Patton go, and Harrison was at the head of the snake when each of these departures happened, as the former Mavs general manager didn't get fired until November 2025. Culture must have been one of the reasons Harrison claimed he fired Smith for via a video call while he was visiting his ill mother, and Smith obviously gets the last laugh here after winning the NBA Finals last night. Smith was one of the best trainers in the entire NBA before being let go by Dallas, and the award he won last season reflects this. Smith and his Knicks staff were named the NBA Trainers Association's Athletic Training Staff of the Year for the 2024-25 season. He also won this award twice while in Dallas, making Harrison's decision to let him go look even more unbelievable. Smith's tweet this morning at 3:34 AM CT encapsulates his frustration about Harrison's staff in Dallas that let him go, and no one is more deserving of winning an NBA title than he and his staff. He was loved in Dallas by Luka Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki, and the Mavericks' decision to let him go snowballed into a disaster over the last two seasons. The Mavericks have been one of the most injury-riddled teams in the NBA as of late, and because of this, they've missed the NBA Playoffs in back-to-back seasons. This is partially due to the medical staff Harrison put in place, and Masai Ujiri is looking to clean things up in this department this summer. Smith still has a special place in his heart for Dallas and his time with the organization, but it's evident he is not fond of the Mavericks staff that sent him packing despite being one of the best in the league at his job. Nico, the man responsible for firing Smith, was fired.