Mavericks GM Nico Harrison has once again hit the jackpot.

Mavs supporters have expressed their gratitude to Derrick Jones Jr., a former fan favorite. Now that there are new players on the team, Mavs supporters might not mourn Jones Jr. as much when the season begins in October.

The reason for this is because everything that Jones Jr. offered Dallas is replicated in the addition of former Pelicans forward Naji Marshall, with the possible exception that Marshall’s future may be a little brighter.

Derrick Jones Jr. might be a little bit better than Naji Marshall.

In his lone season in Dallas, Jones Jr. perhaps enjoyed the best season of his career. He made 34% of his deep shots, scoring 8.6 points on average. He enhanced his Dallas resume by starting 66 games during the regular season, which was a career high.

The LA Clippers’ offseason acquisition of Jones Jr. was a strange choice, especially in light of Dallas and L.A.’s previous playoff experiences.

Jones Jr. was a good-sized wing player who shown excellent on-ball defense, relentless hustle, and nice jumping ability.

Marshall describes himself as a little bigger 3-and-D wing than Jones Jr. Jones Jr. weighs 210 pounds, while Marshall weighs 220. At six feet six, Marshall is also one inch taller than Jones Jr.

Although Jones Jr. had bursts of excellent shooting performances, his defensive contributions to the game were greater. Dallas’ bench didn’t match up well against Boston in the NBA Finals, and their lack of good shooting finally caught up to them.

The addition of Marshall to the Dallas club adds the same defense that Jones Jr. did, but with marginally improved shooting.

Marshall started 21 games in the 2022–2023 season, therefore he doesn’t have much experience as a full-time starter. Last season, he made just one start. Similar to Jones Jr., Marshall shot 39 percent from outside the arc and 46 percent from the field last season in New Orleans, setting several career bests.

On offense, Marshall is a go-getter. When necessary, he spreads the ball and brings it to the hole. One of the Mavs’ more aggressive players is a big asset to the club.

Mavs supporters anticipate a far deeper roster than they did the previous year. In his brief time as general manager, Harrison has worked magic, transforming Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Derrick Jones Jr. into Marshall, Quentin Grimes, and Klay Thompson. That kind of depth is comforting when facing clubs such as the Boston Celtics.

Stay tuned as we bring you all the latest on Naji Marshall and the Dallas Mavericks.