The Dallas Mavericks' offseason acquisition of Klay Thompson has received no shortage of attention. Thompson may not be the same player he once was, but adding him still projects to be especially impactful for a Dallas team that needed a boost in three-point shooting efficiency. However, the Mavs made a number of moves throughout the offseason.
Quentin Grimes, Spencer Dinwiddie and Naji Marshall were among the Mavs' most notable additions aside from Thompson. All three players will help Dallas throughout the upcoming campaign. However, will any of their contributions be especially impactful?
Marshall is going to play a pivotal role in 2023-24. He is not regarded as a star, but Marshall positively impacted the New Orleans Pelicans during his time with the team. And he will potentially have the greatest impact of any Mavericks' offseason addition besides Thompson.
Why Naji Marshall signing is incredibly important
Losing Derrick Jones Jr. was a massive blow for the Mavs. He stepped up as a star defender during the 2023-24 season. Jones also contributed on the offensive end of the floor. He made some big shots for Dallas during the season, and his electric dunks always left the fans feeling excited.
Marshall is expected to help replace Jones' production. The 26-year-old features a fairly similar skillset to Jones. He is a player who can cause havoc on defense while making an offensive impact.
In 2023-24, Marshall averaged 7.1 points per game on 46.3 percent field goal and 38.7 percent three-point shooting. He is 6'7″ as well, so his height makes him the perfect candidate to guard multiple positions if necessary on defense. His 7'1″wingspan will certainly not hurt matters either.
Marshall is also known for his pure effort and physicality on the floor. He plays hard on offense and defense, never taking a play off.
One element of Marshall's game that does not get discussed as much is his passing and ability to limit turnovers. He isn't going to lead the league in assists (1.9 assists per game in 2023-24) but he produces positive assist-turnover ratios. He only recorded 1.0 turnovers per outing this past season, and he has averaged 1.1 turnovers per contest for his career.
Marshall isn't a primary ball-handler on most occasions so it isn't surprising to see him with a lower turnover number. With that being said, there are plenty of non-primary ball-handlers who struggle in this department. Marshall also tends to make the right decision with his passes, which will be of the utmost importance during the 2024-25 campaign.
What is Marshall's ceiling with Mavericks?
Again, Marshall probably won't emerge as an All-Star this year. Although, anything is possible.
But he projects to be a player who offers immense value on the defensive end of the floor. Dallas' defense was dealt a major
blow after losing Jones, so perhaps Marshall will fill the void.
If he can shoot over 38 percent from beyond the arc again the Mavericks will be in a tremendous position. Even if he shoots 35-37 percent, that would still help the team. Marshall's ceiling with the Mavs is probably an impactful starter. However, he will likely begin the campaign as a crucial role player off the bench.
Either way, the Mavericks are unquestionably going to benefit from the addition of Naji Marshall.
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