Earlier in the week, we ran a poll in numerous places asking fans to share their opinion of the Naji Marshall extension. The results, as you can see below, are very clear.
Nearly three in four voters like the three-year, $52 million extension for the 28-year-old forward. 15% don’t like the move and 11% are undecided as to how they feel.
At best, I am mixed on this move. It’s the first one of the offseason I’ve felt less than good about and, while disagreements are part of sports fandom, I wish I could
get behind the decision to extend him now. Marshall was signed to fill the role played by Derrick Jones Jr., following the Mavericks making it to the 2024 Finals. He was coming off a career year in shooting with the Pelicans and the thought was his defense and shooting could bring an element Dallas missed in that last playoff series.
Unfortunately, the traitor General Manager Nico Harrison traded Luka several months later, so we got to see Luka Doncic and Naji play together just 17 games, 16 if you take out the very few minutes he played in his final game as a Dallas Maverick.]
Naji spent the rest of that season and all of last season filling holes where he could in the Dallas roster. He scored at a career high level, 15 points per game. And while he couldn’t hit a three to save his life, he was among the best in the league from difficult areas in the two-point range.
While this contract extension doesn’t kick in until the 2027-28 season, I can’t say I get this past the notion of “well, Cooper Flagg likes him”. That is actually a fine reason, but he’s not been particularly adept at anything that would tell you he should have locked in an extension like this. He’s not been a good shooter and likely won’t be at this point. He’s not been a good defender, but I am sympathetic because Dallas hasn’t been good at team defense since before he joined. I’m just a little confused at what he does and what he brings that the team needs. I guess they need ball handling but I don’t want him playing back-up point guard and unfortunately that seems to be what Dallas might do.
Of course, he might have a huge year for Dallas and I may end up looking stupid. You can take your shot at picking win totals here at FanDuel and dunk on me if I’m wrong.
Sound off in the comments about why I am wrong (or right!).
