Mavericks quietly unlocked a Sixth Man of the Year sleeper — and nobody's noticed

Last season, many players stepped up for the Dallas Mavericks when many of their star players went down with injuries. For example, Brandon Williams played a key role filling in for Kyrie Irving when he went down with an ACL tear. His high level of play earned him a standard contract for this season. Williams, though, wasn't the only bright spot. Naji Marshall also stepped up for the team when needed.

Marshall was a key component for the team during the final two months. He averaged 19.8 points per game in March and 13 points per game in April. Marshall had one of his best games on March 25 when he scored a season-high 38 points and had seven rebounds. Like Williams, he did a good job filling in for Irving.

Therefore, there is optimism that Marshall's role will continue to grow in Dallas. If he can continue building off his end-of-season progress, then fans shouldn't be surprised if he is in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award. Marshall has all the intangibles to be the front-runner for the award if he can build off his past success and continue to grow in his role.

Naji Marshall is primed to be in the hunt for Sixth Man of the Year

One thing that stood out about Marshall last season was his ability to take major strides with the Mavs. Last season, Marshall averaged 13.2 points per game, which was a 6.1 increase from his prior season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Before last season, Marshall had yet to have double-digit points in a season.

This was a big improvement for Marshall, as he struggled in his first month with the team. During his first five games with Dallas, Marshall averaged a mere 3.2 points per game. He struggled to find his rhythm with the team and failed to convert open shots. Everything changed in November when he upped his points average by 11.1.

So, Marshall's high-level improvement is one of the many reasons he could be a top candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award. If he can continue to grow and progress with Dallas, then there is a high possibility that Marshall could continue to exceed his points per game average.

For starters, compare Marshall's numbers to someone like Payton Pritchard. Pritchard is the Boston Celtics guard and the NBA 2025 Sixth Man of the Year. Last season, Pritchard averaged 14.3 points per game and shot 40.7 percent from the 3-point line. As mentioned, Marshall averaged 13.2 points per game. So, his numbers aren't far from Pritchard's, but Marshall will need to improve his 3-point shooting to continue elevating his game.

However, if you compare both players' numbers in March, Marshall dominated by a landslide. He averaged 5.3 more points than Pritchard and converted 53.7 percent of his field goal attempts, a 9.7 difference from Pritchard. If Marshall can play like he did towards the tail end of the season, then he most certainly will not only be the Mavs' sixth man, but the NBA's as well.

Marshall's end-of-the-year progress, though, might not be the only reason he wins the Sixth Man of the Year award. If you recall, the Mavs drafted Cooper Flagg with the number one pick. So what this means for Marshall is that the team's starting lineup is beginning to take shape. Dallas could roll with D'Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II.

This leaves out players like P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Marshall from the starting lineup. It means they would be the first few players coming off the bench. It would be good news for Marshall if the lineup above is true because he is the one player who can rotate between multiple positions.

Towards the end of last season, Marshall played various positions, including guard, forward, and even some center. There were times when he ran the point guard position. For example, in the team's first play-in game, Marshall started at point guard, as he helped lead the team to a 120-106 victory against the Sacramento Kings. He finished the game with nine points, three assists, and four rebounds. He also had a +14 plus/minus rating.

This means that Marshall will likely be the first guy Jason Kidd calls off the bench. His ability to do a variety of things makes him a top candidate to be one of Dallas' most impactful players off the bench, and he'll be motivated to build upon what he began last season.

So, the Sixth Man of the Year award is there for Naji Marshall to take. All he needs to do is increase his points per game average, improve his 3-point shooting, and become someone the Mavs can't live without. Plus, he'll need to play at a high level. Marshall will be one of the team's top men coming off the bench, and it'll be up to him to prove his worth.