Naji Marshall is having the best season of his NBA career by a long shot for the Dallas Mavericks, and any team would be lucky to bring him in at the trade deadline. He has the chance to be one of the most impactful traded players in the entire league if he lands in the right spot, and every team should want him.
The Los Angeles Lakers, among other teams around the association, have shown interest in trading for him, and teams are beginning to find out just how dominant Marshall is. There aren't many guard-wing hybrids in the league today that can generate paint touches at will, play dominant defense, and be an incredible connector all at the same time.
This is what Marshall does every single night, but what makes him valuable isn't just his play on the court. His contract makes him an extremely attractive trade asset, and teams dream about players playing this well on cost-efficient deals.
Why teams are lining up to trade for Naji Marshall
There aren't many players who are making less than $10 million annually while making as big an impact on a nightly basis, and this reason alone could cause the Mavericks to net a massive return for him. Having elite players on team-friendly deals is the secret recipe to success in today's NBA, and Marshall has clearly outplayed his current contract in the middle of his second season in Dallas.
The Mavericks view Marshall as an essential piece of the upcoming Cooper Flagg era, but the right price could convince them to give him up in the middle of his prime. The return would need to be massive for Dallas to consider trading the 6-foot-6 swingman, but with teams needing to gear up for the playoffs, the asking price is only going to get driven up.
With so many interested teams, Dallas could find themselves in the middle of a bidding war if they handle this right. Every team needs a two-way wing who can play multiple positions and is a winner, and Marshall has gone from a hidden gem to the worst-kept secret in the NBA. Everyone knows how great he is at this point, and his stats speak for themselves.
Marshall is averaging 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 54.4 percent from the field. He has been one of the few bright spots in a dark Dallas Mavericks season, and the league is starting to take notice.
Marshall is drawing more trade interest than any other player on the team, and the next seven days will be telling about how Dallas truly feels about him. They prefer to keep him, as he is an excellent fit next to Cooper Flagg and plays as hard as anyone, but everything has a price.
Teams preferring to keep players at the trade deadline helps the asking price skyrocket, and we could see this happen with Marshall. The Mavs value him extremely highly, but if some team values him even higher, they could find a way to pry him away.
Teams' demand for Marshall over the next week will help push his asking price even higher, and the Mavericks may get offered a deal that they can't say no to. The NBA is starting to figure out how much Naji Marshall is worth, and the trade deadline could prove how high his price will ultimately go.