The Dallas Mavericks play home to several players who could've helped the Los Angeles Lakers. Chief among them is forward Naji Marshall, who played with Lakers franchise player Luka Doncic in 2024-25 and has become one of the most quietly proficient two-way players in the NBA.
As Marshall continues to prove his quality on a team-friendly contract, Los Angeles must wish it had acquired him before the 2026 NBA trade deadline.
Marshall, 28, has turned the past two seasons into something of a personal proving ground. He's established himself as a high-level defender who can pick up players at multiple positions, as well as a crafty scorer who can operate at multiple levels.
Though he's not the three-point shooter that the Lakers need, Marshall would've been a perfect fit with his on-ball defense and shot creation as a sixth man.
At the moment, the Lakers rank No. 23 in points allowed per isolation possession, No. 24 in defensive rating, and No. 29 in bench points per game. That paints a clear picture of what was needed ahead of the trade deadline, but it's fair to argue Los Angeles failed to address at least two of those issues.
By trading for Marshall, the Lakers could've addressed all three and provided Doncic with a familiar face who could've made the game easier for him.
Naji Marshall would've saved Lakers' second unit, strengthened defense
Marshall is currently averaging 15.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 three-point field goals made per game on .530/.298/.766 shooting. His three-point inefficiency would've posed some level of problems, but the rest of his game would've offset those concerns.
Marshall isn't just a quality player, but a skilled scorer who can find holes in opposing defenses and score from anywhere within the arc, particularly with midrange jumpers and floaters defenders can't touch.
Marshall is currently shooting shooting 58.1 percent on 7.6 drives per game. Among current Lakers players, only Doncic and Austin Reaves are averaging more drives per game than Marshall. In other words: Marshall could've checked a box only the stars currently can.
That level of shot creation would've also addressed the very issue the Lakers' second unit has: The lack of a player who can generate offense when all else fails.
Naji Marshall can take pressure off of stars, provide value away from them
According to Basketball Index, Marshall ranks in the 92nd percentile in one-on-one shotmaking efficiency and the 83rd percentile in midrange shot creation. Those are two skills that tend to translate well to a postseason setting.
Unfortunately, the Lakers will instead hope that someone can play above their means once the postseason rolls around in relief of the big three.
On the other end of the floor, Marshall is one of the best isolation defenders in the NBA. There are admittedly concerns over his off-ball activity and consistency, but Lakers head coach JJ Redick has proven capable of helping players overachieve in that regard in the past.
What Redick can't currently do, however, is trust one of his players to excel as an isolation defender—particularly because there isn't a true lockdown wing on the roster.
Lakers need a Naji Marshall type to defend multiple positions
Marshall, meanwhile, ranks in the 95th percentile in both perimeter isolation defense and matchup difficulty as an on-ball defender, per Basketball Index. As a display of his versatility: He's held Cade Cunningham to 5-of-13 shooting, Tyrese Maxey to 4-of-12, and Pascal Siakam to 3-of-9.
Marshall's ability to defend stars with different positions, play styles, and even levels of athleticism would've undoubtedly lent itself to a team that can't seem to figure out how to defend at an adequate level. In fact, it could've elevated the Lakers to an entirely new tier of contenders.
Unfortunately, Marshall's talent and $9 million salary will be staying in Dallas instead of helping Doncic win in Los Angeles.