The Dallas Mavericks are less than a week away from (all but certainly) selecting Duke’s Cooper Flagg with the number one pick in the NBA Draft. Flagg will usher in a new era in Dallas, but there are a number of questions surrounding which other players will be suiting up alongside him.
Here in part six of the Love Him or Leave Him series we’ll take a look at Naji Marshall, a player with whom Flagg shares a position on the court. Only time will tell whether the glut of forwards in Dallas will result in Marshall (or others) being the odd man out. Reports indicate that the Mavs want to keep both P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, all the while coveting a way to secure another first round pick in the draft. Do the Mavs add The Knife to the list of untouchables (Love Him) or instead use him as the centerpiece to secure more draft capital (Leave Him)?
If you’re new to the series, you can check out what we wrote about Spencer Dinwiddie, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson then join us back here in the comments section.
Season recap
The 27-year-old Marshall stands at 6’6 and weighs in at 220 pounds. He chipped in 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and three assists per game in his first year with the Mavs. He played in 69 games, starting 31 of them. He is one of only three Mavericks players that logged more than 1,900 minutes on the season (Spencer Dinwiddie and Klay Thompson were number one and two, respectively), When considering a multi-game suspension factored into some of his missed time, a suspension he earned while living up to an enforcer role, his durability proved to be a valuable characteristic. He connected on 50.8% of his shots; a figure that was actually pulled down by a woeful 27.5% from three.
Contract status
Marshall is entering the second year of a three year deal and is set to earn $9 million this upcoming season. In 2026-2027 he will earn close to $9.5 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent the following Offseason.
How he fits
Marshall came to Dallas this past offseason and did a little bit of everything for the Mavericks – enforcer, defender, three-point shooter (albeit a streaky one), even point guard. He remains one of the most versatile players on the roster and is just entering his prime. For a team that desires rangy, versatile players in a league that trends toward being more position-less as time goes on, Marshall is nothing short of prototypical. When the Mavs could barely roll out a team, Marshall slid from his spot at forward to start at point guard. His ability to drive and finish a variety of unpredictable floaters adds versatility to the offense and he often came up with clutch shots to stop another team’s run late in the season when he took on a bigger role. Coming off a career year shooting the three, he dropped dramatically on that front once he arrived in Dallas. He’s clearly capable, and some of his worst shooting nights from beyond the arc came in the midst of being injured. Regardless, for a team that shoots threes as much as Dallas does, he would be a better fit still if he can hit the three ball at a more reasonable clip.
Final verdict: Love him
Marshall is too versatile and too affordable to cut loose. It’s unlikely he will shoot so poorly from beyond the arc again, which will only add to his effectiveness going forward. On the other hand, he has a very tradable contract and if the Mavs front office is to be believed in respect of wanting to keep Washington and Gafford, Marshall may find himself playing elsewhere next year. Short of Cooper Flagg showing off heretofore unknown skills as a shooting guard, it’s a tall task to envision how everyone can remain. Between Marshall, Flagg, Washington, Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively there are not a lot of minutes left over in the frontcourt, a fact further complicated by how many of those players are sure-fire starters. Having said all that, Marshall brings a lot to the table – both tangibly and intangibly – and has a plus-value contract. For a team dangerously close to the second apron, having a player of his caliber on a team-friendly deal provides value on and off the court. I can’t quite figure what degree of wizardry it will take to keep everyone, but if GM Nico Harrison can manage to pull it off, the Mavs will be better for it. Marshall is a fan-favorite, brings a unique skill set, is on a favorable deal, isn’t afraid to take on tough defensive assignments and doesn’t necessarily need to compete for a starting spot. The Mavs would be well served to keep him around.
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