The Dallas Mavericks suffered a disheartening loss on Monday night against the Sacramento Kings, falling 115-100. With Kyrie Irving out, the Mavericks couldn't generate enough offense to keep up with one of the worst teams in the NBA.
It's never good to lose a game, but it also helped the Mavericks evaluate the rest of the roster. Cooper Flagg struggled, but the other offensive initiators (outside of Walter Clayton Jr.) were nowhere to be found.
Someone whom the Mavericks hoped could run the offense when Irving and Flagg are out is Naji Marshall. They rewarded Marshall with a three-year, $51.8 million contract extension this offseason.
Marshall was set to enter the final year of his deal, but the Mavericks didn't want to let him hit free agency next year, as he can be a valuable defender and found a lot of success last season as a secondary ball-handler and with a lethal pop shot/floater.
The extension is on a declining scale, so while he'll be making $18.2 million next season, it'll decrease to $16.7 million in the final season.
Even when Marshall signed the contract, it was met with some skepticism. He's a non-factor from behind the arc and hasn't been on a contending team. There are real doubts about his ability to contribute on a contender.
There are also a lot of questions about his fit alongside Cooper Flagg, as both players need the ball in their hands to be the most effective. No one is scared of Marshall if he's sitting in the corner.
In the four games that Marshall has played, he has averaged 11.5 PPG and an impressive 6.0 APG, but he has shot 44.4% from the field and a paltry 20% from three, and he's had an uptick in attempts from behind the line. They're 1-3 in those games, while 3-0 in the games he missed due to an illness.
Marshall also has the worst plus/minus on the team at -7.8. He thought he could shoot above 40% from three this season, but that hasn't been the case, and he isn't impacting winning.
Oct 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (3) dribbles as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) defends during the second quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If the Mavericks look to upgrade their roster, Naji Marshall would've been one of the top names available had he not been extended, but there may not be a lot of teams lining up to trade for him with his new contract. A 6'8" ball-handling wing who can't shoot isn't always the easiest fit on a roster.
Marshall still does a lot of things well, and every team likes an enforcer, but this is a shooter's league. Marshall isn't a shooter, as much as he wants to be.
Even if he could work on getting his percentages into the 33% range, it would help a lot of things out, but I imagine players like Max Christie and P.J. Washington (even with his larger contract) would be easier to trade.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/mavericks/onsi as Are Mavericks Already Regretting Contract Extension for Naji Marshall? .
