On the opening day of free agency, one move that seemed like a lock for the Dallas Mavericks to make became a lot less likely.
Re-signing Derrick Jones Jr. was the Mavs' top priority going into the offseason, and going into the start of free agency, one move that Jones Jr. made shook things up. Jones Jr. decided to change agents, and this complicated things for the Mavs.
Re-signing Jones Jr. wasn't going to be as easy as expected, and the Mavs decided to make a different move that is getting praised around the NBA world.
Mavericks' signing of Naji Marshall named top 'under-the-radar' move
The Mavs decided to sign Naji Marshall to a three-year deal, and Brian Martin of NBA.com dubbed this one of the "best under-the-radar moves" of the offseason.
Martin dove into how Marshall is a similar player to Jones Jr. and talked about how he shot a career-high from downtown (38.7 percent) last season along with being an excellent defender.
Dallas signing Marshall definitely isn't getting talked about enough, and he is poised to be an outstanding piece for the Mavs next season. Last season for the New Orleans Pelicans, Marshall averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field.
Marshall is a big-bodied lockdown defender who backs down from no one, and he is going to be the perfect fit in Dallas. Standing at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and weighing 220 pounds, Marshall has the frame to lock down bigger forwards, but the quick feet to stay with bigger guards.
Marshall is a better defender at the point of attack than most people give him credit for, and he and Quentin Grimes are likely going to be called upon to guard the other team's best player often due to their defensive prowess.
While not many people in the media world are highlighting the Mavs signing Marshall as a big move, he will quickly have the opportunity to prove everyone wrong. Marshall's 3-and-D skillset combined with his fearless demeanor is going to be a dream come true for Mavs fans, and he is truly one of the most underrated players in the league.
He is going to get plenty of open looks from downtown playing next to Luka Doncic, and Marshall may have found home in Dallas if things go as expected.
For all the latest on Naji Marshall and the Dallas Mavericks all offseason long, stay tuned.
