Few can argue that the Dallas Mavericks haven't had a great summer after having managed to swap out three rotation players for upgrades. The additions of Klay Thompson, Quinton Grimes, and Naji Marshall should help them get back to the NBA Finals, where they will be better equipped to defeat the Boston Celtics or perhaps the New York Knicks or the Philadelphia 76ers.
Marshall in particular could be helpful and was just named by Bleacher Report as one of the NBA's most underrated players. Marshall spent the first four seasons of his career with the New Orleans Pelicans, establishing himself as a hard-nosed defender and, more recently, a respectable shooter.
He signed a 3-year, $27 million-dollar deal to replace Derrick Jones Jr., which could be an upgrade in more ways than one. He is younger, cheaper, and a better shooter, all of which could help Dallas next season.
How Naji Marshall will help the Dallas Mavericks next season
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale credits Marshall as being a versatile defensive player who can defend bigger forwards such as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Kevin Durant or guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That is a valuable player who could help the Mavericks, especially during the postseason when defense becomes a bigger issue.
Equally encouraging is the Bleacher Report, which views him as a capable offensive player who can knockdown open threes after a career-high 38.7% of these shots from outside last season with the Pelicans.
He can also score in transition and off of cuts and should benefit from playing alongside two elite offensive players, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who will be able to draw attention away from Marshall. That should get him easier baskets and keep him from being a player that no one guards.
If Marshall can live up to expectations, he would be a great get for the Mavericks, who may have been able to sign one of the NBA's most underrated players for a song.