Mavericks' new wing will be the lockdown defender they've been dreaming of

After the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks' point-of-attack defense began to get questioned.

Dallas had two of the best rim protectors in the Western Conference with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, but their defense on the perimeter failed at times down the stretch. This wasn't a problem during the regular season after the trade deadline, but it appeared some in the playoffs.

Derrick Jones Jr. was an elite perimeter defender in the playoffs, but the Mavs are going to have to pick up the slack on that end now that he's gone. The media and some fans alike are already doubting Klay Thompson's fit in the starting lineup due to his defense, but the Mavs are going to be just fine defensively.

Naji Marshall will be a monster on defense for the Mavericks

A big reason for that is because they signed Naji Marshall to a three-year deal.

Dallas signed Marshall on the opening night of free agency, and the Mavs expect him to be as good as Jones Jr. was or be even better. Like Jones Jr., Marshall is a menace defensively.

And the stats back that up.

According to Stat Defender, Marshall led the league in defended 3-point percentage and defended field goal percentage on shots beyond the paint. Marshall was the best in the league in both of these areas, and the numbers speak for themselves.

Opponents shot 29.2 percent from downtown when Marshall was defending them and 29.3 percent on shots beyond the paint. These numbers are remarkable, but the stats and rankings to back Marshall's stellar defense don't end there.

Marshall was graded an A- isolation defender on the perimeter last season, and he is going to provide the Mavs what they desperately need at the point of attack. He can effectively guard twos and threes while also being able to guard some point guards and power forwards when needed. Standing at 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Marshall has the frame and length to be Dallas' defensive star, and the Mavs can use him in plenty of different situations.

He is much more versatile than anyone gives him credit for, and the Mavs can trust him to be their defensive stopper moving forward. Marshall leaves no airspace when defending on the perimeter and his motor allows him to defend for the full shot clock with high energy and intensity. He doesn't back down from anyone, and the Mavs will be able to use him to defend against some of the best guards in the league, but he can also hold his own against big-bodied wings.

Marshall has truly become one of the most underrated players in the league over the years and he has the chance to make a huge impact defensively for the Mavs in his first year with the team. He could even find himself in conversations to be on one of the NBA's All-Defensive Teams when it's all said and done this season, and Dallas has found themselves their lockdown defender.