Mavericks' end-of-season tanking limbo just found its ultimate solution

Naji Marshall has been one of the most consistent players on the Dallas Mavericks, carrying Dallas in many games where scoring has been hard to come by from the rest of the roster, and Marshall’s recent play is solidifying his spot in next year’s core, even if this season is already a lost cause for Dallas.

However, Marshall suffered a bit of a drought since the calendar turned to March, as he didn’t eclipse 14 points in any of his first five games in the new month after coming back from a few missed contests due to a right finger contusion. Marshall even went as far as to say that he felt like he lost his mojo in a now-deleted post on X, which was tough for many fans to hear given his status as one of the veteran leaders on the team.

Naji Marshall's March slump didn't last long

However, Marshall has definitely regained his mojo over the past three games, as he’s averaged 24.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in his last three contests, while capping off Dallas’ road stretch with a 32-point performance in a loss versus his former team in the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s great to see Marshall getting back on track amidst a mini-rough stretch, as it’s clear the Mavericks would like to retain him next season after opting to keep him past the trade deadline this year.

Given how much Marshall has vastly outplayed his three-year $27 million contract, the Mavericks would be naive to part ways with him this summer unless some team calls offering an irrefutable package for him. For someone Dallas plans on having in their main core next season when they’ll hope to be more competitive, it’s great to see Marshall establishing some momentum toward the end of the season, and hopefully this can continue over Dallas’ last 13 games.

Naji Marshall's hot streak isn't crushing Dallas' tank

Best of all, Marshall’s uptick in production recently isn’t costing Dallas in their ultimate goal, or at least the goal fans and media members have for them at this point in the season, which is obviously tanking.

Even if the Mavericks have tanked ethically or more naturally this season, it’s no secret that securing the best possible odds in the NBA Draft Lottery is their best bet, given they have the sixth-worst record in the league at this juncture in the season, and don’t have full control of their first-round picks for a few more years.

While Dallas got a sneaky win in a matinee contest versus the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, Marshall’s better play hasn’t been enough to negatively impact their tanking odds, as Dallas ultimately lost the season series with the Pelicans after losing on Monday night.

While the Pelicans’ first-round pick will go to the Atlanta Hawks in the upcoming draft, it was still essential for the Mavericks to lose versus New Orleans on the second night of a back-to-back, as Dallas now has the tiebreaker for better lottery odds should them and New Orleans end up tying in the standings, like they currently are with both squads at 23-46.

This could ultimately mean nothing or be the difference in Dallas getting another generational prospect to pair alongside Cooper Flagg in the coming years, but regardless, it’s a win-win to see Marshall playing some of his best basketball of the season without it being something that is hurting Dallas in the long run.