Naji Marshall's bold 'next step' will make him even more dangerous for the Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks hosted their annual Media Day on Friday morning at the American Airlines Center, meaning that the start of the 2026-27 season is almost here. Naji Marshall, among many of his Mavericks teammates, took questions from the media. His answer to a question about the "next step" in his development would make him even more dangerous offensively.

"Nothing-but-net threes," Marshall said. "That's it. That would make me unstoppable. I truly believe that, and I've worked very hard on that."

Naji Marshall's 3-point shooting has been his Achilles heel for years

Marshall is a career 30 percent 3-point shooter, with the 2023-24 season (his final season with the New Orleans Pelicans) being his best year. He shot 38.1 percent from long range that season, but his time with the Mavs has not brought the same success.

Naji shot 28.3 percent from beyond the arc on 3.0 attempts per game over two seasons in Dallas. His volume has increased significantly compared to the four seasons he spent with the Pelicans, but he hasn't been able to be a reliable shooter.

The rest of his game has improved as a Maverick, though, as his finishing around the rim and floater helped him average a career-high 15.2 points per game last season. He also got to the free-throw line often. His ability to relentlessly get to the basket and push the ball in transition became a staple of his game. Yet, the 3-point shooting did not follow suit.

What improving as a shooter would do for Marshall

This is something that Marshall worked hard on last offseason, but he still wasn't able to consistently cash in on open looks. Shooting has become his biggest weakness, but if he can improve and force defenders to guard him tightly on the perimeter, everything else will open up for him.

"The Knife" would be able to utilize his dribble-drive game more effectively and attack closeouts, and being a respected floor spacer would help create space for everyone else. Even raising his 3-point percentage to a league-average figure of around 35 percent would be a step in the right direction, but he has much higher expectations for himself.

"45 (percent) or better," Marshall said when asked his expectations. "High expectations. Very high."

Marshall enters this season fresh off a three-year contract extension, and he isn't setting the bar low. Saying that he expects to shoot 45 percent from three is certainly bold.

He doesn't want his shooting to hold him back anymore, and significant improvement in this area would lead to him being one of the top bench players in the NBA.

Marshall is already a strong scorer, but being a strong shooter would change everything for him. It would allow him to play more on the wing rather than being relied upon as a secondary ball handler. He would be able to play one through four, play in more lineup combinations, and become an even better version of himself.

Naji knows how crucial improving as a shooter is for his growth, and if Media Day showed anything, it's that he wants to put his days of being a sub-30-percent 3-point shooter behind him.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow