Naji Marshall's shooting isn't the only thing the Mavericks need him to improve

Naji Marshall is dialed in on improving his 3-point shooting ahead of this season. He shot 28.3 percent from three over the last two seasons for the Dallas Mavericks, which is a major drop from the 38.7 percent he shot in his final year with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Naji Marshall's shooting has been subpar in Dallas

His lack of a consistent jumper has caused defenses to sag off him, limiting his overall effectiveness offensively. Naji still has an incredible floater, gets to the rim at will, and is a good playmaker, but shooting has been his kryptonite as a Maverick.

Becoming a more consistent shooter will make Marshall's game complete on offense, but he has some work to do on the defensive end as well.

Marshall's defense has taken a step back

He's already one of the better perimeter defenders on the team, but the Mavericks need him to reach another level next season. Marshall posted a 114.3 defensive rating last season after posting a 114.7 in the seasion prior for Dallas. Both of these figures rank at the bottom of his six-year career, and were a significant decrease from the 106.8 defensive rating he had during his final season in New Orleans.

Naji has been a solid defender in Dallas, but he has not lived up to the hype that followed him on that end of the floor before the Mavericks signed him in the summer of 2024. His slight decline defensively could be due to the heavy burden on offense that he has carried taking a toll on his overall energy, and there's certainly room for improvement.

His steal numbers look good, as he averaged at least one steal per game in each of the last two seasons for the first time in his career, but he has to buckle down at the point of attack.

Opposing guards consistently torched the Mavs last season, and that has to stop this season. They can't routinely get fried by the other team's star guard any longer, and Marshall should play a big role in putting this trend to an end.

Naji has the tools to be a strong defender

The tenacity and physicality that he plays with are special at 6-foot-6, but the effort and energy must follow as well. Dallas being a more competitive team should help this, as winning and close games naturally help increase defensive effort, and Marshall should put a focus on becoming a better defensive stopper and remaining locked in at all times.

Naji takes pride in guarding other elite players, and this same mindset must carry over into this season. He has shown that he can slow down opposing stars, and Kyrie Irving's return should help him exert more effort on defense and not have to take such a big role on offense.

Dallas is going to need their backcourt to step up on defense significantly, especially with Kyrie returning to the lineup after a year-long absence, and Marshall could play a big role in the Mavericks turning into one of the most dangerous defensive teams in the NBA.

They have Cooper Flagg, Morez Johnson Jr., P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford, but they need some of their wings and guards to step up as well. Marshall's shooting may seem like the most obvious thing that he must improve, but the Mavericks need him to tap into the defensive potential that he showcased with the Pelicans for the team to reach another level on that end.

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