Dallas Basketball

How Will Naji Marshall Replace Derrick Jones Jr. for the Dallas Mavericks?

The former New Orleans Pelican will play a major role for the 2024-25 Mavericks on the wing. How will his game translate?

Keenan Womack

Dec 26, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall (8) brings the ball upcourt during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall (8) brings the ball upcourt during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
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The 2024-25 Dallas Mavericks are coming off of a season in which the vibes were truly immaculate – easily their best since the epic championship run in 2011. 

The battle-tested Mavs brawled their way through a brutal Western Conference slate before eventually meeting their match in the NBA Finals against the now-champion Boston Celtics. Though it ended in a loss, it was Dallas’ first trip to the Finals since their win against LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat. 

Still, players come and go, even from title-contending teams: in the offseason, Dallas lost wing Derrick Jones Jr. to free agency, a starter in 66 of the 76 games he played last season.

Though the Mavericks signed Klay Thompson as their big offseason “splash,” it is fair to say that the former Warrior has lost a step on the defensive end, something that Jones Jr. was particularly effective with. 

Jones Jr. was often given the primary assignment for the opposing team’s best perimeter scoring option, including players like Paul George, against whom he held his own in the Mavericks’ series against the Clippers. 

On the offensive end, Jones Jr. was a great cutter and lob threat as well as a spot-up shooter who saw a resurgence in his three-point shot, hitting a career-best 34.3% from deep in his lone year in Dallas. On top of this, he also topped his career-high on three-point rate, with 48.3% of his shots coming from beyond the arc. 

What does this have to do with Naji Marshall? 

The question being asked is, how much of an offensive bump will Marshall see playing in this new offensive system? Many are assuming Klay Thompson will start at the three, but Marshall will surely play high-level rotational minutes. 

READ MORE: Dallas Mavericks To Start 2024-25 Season Against In-State Rival

Marshall’s tendencies on the offensive end are mostly of the catch-and-shoot variety, as 42% of his shots come from the three-point line, from which he shoots 38.7%. This is already above the league average of 36.6%, and his 1.19 points per shot on catch-and-shoot attempts rank him at the 76th percentile in the league, according to Synergy Sports. 

Given the improvement seen by Derrick Jones Jr. last season on his three-point percentage and increase in attempt rate, it’s reasonable to assume that Marshall could see a similar uptick in numbers. There are plenty of great looks to be had considering the way the Mavericks run their offense, and the gravity that players like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have with the ball in their hands. 

The other thing to take into account is Marshall’s defensive prowess. On the Pelicans, he was one of the better defenders alongside ball-stoppers Herb Jones, Dyson Daniels, and Trey Murphy III. These players helped lead the Pelicans to a campaign in which they had the sixth-best defensive rating in the NBA at 111.9 in the regular season. 

Overall, Jones Jr. and Marshall have very similar profiles – they’re both spot-up shooting wings, around the same size, that can attack the occasional closeout on the offensive end. 

They are also players with great footwork on the defensive end who like to use their length to their advantage to crowd opposing ball handlers, occasionally knocking the ball loose and creating live-ball turnovers to turn into transition chances. 

Considering how underrated of a loss Derrick Jones Jr. really was for this Mavericks team, Nico Harrison and company may have found the team a perfect replacement.

READ MORE: Lakers Hall of Famer Criticizes Mavericks' Luka Doncic, Would Start Damian Lillard Over Him

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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