After the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, fans' minds immediately shifted to free agency as this would be the team's golden opportunity to make marginal improvements.
Dallas already had the perfect core intact to make another run at the Finals considering how dominant they looked for a majority of the playoffs, and considering they only had a few free agents, they were in a great spot to run it back with nearly the exact same squad.
It was clear that Dallas needed more shooting, so they went out and signed Klay Thompson, but they also needed to make sure that their perimeter defense remained strong. Derrick Jones Jr. was the best defender on the team last season, and after being reported as one of Dallas' priorities ahead of free agency, the Mavs elected not to bring him back.
Mavericks' choice to replace Jones Jr. with Marshall is silencing critics
The Mavs signed Naji Marshall to a three-year deal instead, and while Jones Jr.'s situation ahead of free agency was complicated, Dallas' decision to go with Marshall instead was viewed as a mistake at the time. The Mavs couldn't control the fact that he switched agents right before free agency, and the exact circumstances behind Jones Jr.'s free agency are unknown, but it was a major shock to see him sign elsewhere after what he said in the Finals.
Jones Jr. made it clear that he wanted to return, but things did a complete 180 when he went and signed with the LA Clippers.
Fans and media alike feared that Dallas would miss Jones Jr. tremendously due to his incredible defense and athleticism, and the Mavs were crushed by the media for not bringing him back. They feared that Dallas' defense wouldn't be good enough with Jones Jr. gone, and many weren't confident about Marshall's ability to fill in his shoes.
Despite all of the prior backlash, Marshall has quickly proved that he can be even better than Jones Jr. was for Dallas.
After a rough start to the season, Marshall has turned into one of the most consistent players on the team on both ends of the floor. He is averaging 10.7 points per game while shooting 53.3 percent from the field, and his dominant in-between game combined with his ability to handle the ball and play excellent perimeter defense has made him an indispensable piece for the Mavs. His ability to be a secondary ball handler has been especially important due to the up-and-down seasons of Jaden Hardy and Spencer Dinwiddie, and he has thrived in big moments all season long.
While Jones Jr. has played well for the Clippers, Marshall's impact has been needed more for Dallas as mentioned before. Jones Jr. would likely have been playing at a high level once again for the Mavs if they re-signed him, but they would not have been able to rely upon him as a trusted ball handler as they can with Marshall.
Marshall also happens to be a year younger than Jones Jr., and he looks like he is going to be a long-term fit in Dallas. He does all of the little things at an extremely high level and he loves the city of Dallas already.
His calm demeanor off the floor and willingness to do whatever it takes to win has made him a perfect fit on Jason Kidd's squad. Although some fans were upset that the team didn't re-sign Jones Jr., Marshall is quickly proving that he can pick up right where Jones Jr. left off.
He is exactly what the Mavs needed, and the controversy that originally surrounded the Mavs' decision to not bring Jones Jr. back is long gone as Marshall has exceeded expectations and turned into a fan favorite after one month of play.
