Former New Orleans Pelicans Rotation Piece Moving a Big Move of NBA Offseason

The New Orleans Pelicans watched a key rotation piece head to a Western Conference rival in free agency.

Apr 27, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans Forward Naji Marshall (8) handles the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunde during the second quarter of game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans made some big changes to their roster during the 2024 NBA offseason.

A lot of the focus has been on their acquisition of Dejounte Murray, and rightfully so. He will fill a lot of the holes the team had in the backcourt as a lead ball-handler, playmaker and strong defender.

But, when you bring talented players like that into the fold, it means some will be on the move. Key rotation pieces Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels were both included in the package back to the Atlanta Hawks along with draft capital.

Alas, those weren’t the only two key members of the 2023-24 rotation that departed this offseason.

Another player Willie Green will have to find someone to replace is Naji Marshall.

After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Pelicans, he signed with the Dallas Mavericks this summer as a free agent. The two sides agreed to a three-year, $27 million contract.

Marshall was an integral part of the team’s rotation off the bench. He was key in Green’s defensive game plan, someone he trusted to defend multiple positions while bringing some toughness and energy to the game.

His departure this offseason was named one of the most impactful moves by Dan Favale of Bleacher Report.

“Naji Marshall as a Derrick Jones Jr. alternative has the potential to be a home run.

The latter is more portable and, for the most part, staunch on the defensive end. But Marshall has shown he can hang with certain smalls, and whatever gaps this transition creates on the less glamorous end he more than makes up for at the other,” Favale wrote.

One of the underrated things that New Orleans will miss most about Marshall was how good of a rebounder he was. He is one of the best rebounding small forwards in the NBA, something that will not be easy to replace.

The Xavier product is also coming off the best 3-point shooting season of his career, as he knocked down 38.7 percent in the 2023-24 campaign. 

Those skills, mixed with the intensity he brings to the defensive end, make him a great fit for the Mavericks. Everything on their team runs through Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, but the supporting cast has been upgraded with the additions of Marshall, Quentin Grimes and Klay Thompson.