Mavericks Criticized for Recent Extension By Former NBA Executive

The Dallas Mavericks handed wing Naji Marshall a three-year, $51.9 million extension last month, surprising some people by making this move now.

Marshall was set to enter the final year of the deal he signed with Dallas in the 2024 offseason, which will pay him $9.4 million before this new extension kicks in next year.

On the one hand, Marshall is coming off a career year where he averaged 15.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 3.3 APG, setting career highs in points and assists. He found a lot of success as a slasher, becoming highly efficient with his floater in the lane.

On the other hand, Marshall is a poor three-point shooter, and his fit alongside Cooper Flagg is questionable, at best. The franchise has been very open that every decision they make moving forward will be about Cooper Flagg, and this doesn't really fit that line of thinking.

Nate Duncan and former NBA executive turned writer for The Athletic, John Hollinger, had a roundup podcast last week, where neither was too pleased with the extension the Mavericks handed Naji Marshall.

"To lock him up through his age-30, 31, 32 seasons...it does decline slightly, but nonetheless, for where Dallas is... I think some of their player evaluation stuff has been interesting. But the way they're handling their finances just hasn't been the way I'd want to be doing it going forward," Duncan said. "With Marshall, you get what you could for him on a $9.4 million expiring contract at this point. Let the other team give him that next contract. And also, by the way, if you can't get a first for him on a $9–10 million expiring contract, that might be an indication that maybe you shouldn't give him this extension."

"That's a tell. The market's telling you what's going to happen in free agency. But I think when you're already committed to seven other power forwards, it's important to get that eighth one locked down," Hollinger responded sarcastically.

Did the Mavericks Overpay for Naji Marshall?

Both Nate Duncan and John Hollinger are a little obsessed with value and how a player's initial draft status should play into it. Marshall was undrafted, so that's part of their thinking as to why the Mavericks overpaid in this situation.

The rest is a fair sentiment, though. If the Mavericks couldn't get a first-round pick for him, why should they then extend him for more than $50 million, even if it's on a declining scale?

First-round picks are going to be harder to acquire because of the new lottery rules, so that may have played into it, but this new contract won't help his trade value initially.

The Mavericks also just didn't need another forward. Naji Marshall is a good player, and while they probably overpaid just a little, it does make their cap sheet unnecessarily tricky moving forward.

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