After signing a three-year extension, Marshall is spending his offseason attacking the biggest weakness in his game, hoping a more reliable three-point shot can unlock another level in Dallas.
Fresh off a three-year, $52.2 million extension that keeps him in Dallas through the 2029-30 season, Naji Marshall has also been busy in the gym.
The Mavs standout spent part of his offseason working out with Future Hall of Fame Forward Kevin Durant and New York Knicks Guard Jose Alvarado.
The footage he posted to TikTok suggests the Mavericks forward is targeting the one weakness that has held his game back: his 3-point shot.
The video showed Marshall running through 3-point shooting drills in motion and catch-and-shoot situations, the exact contexts where he'll get most of his looks in Dallas' offense. He also put in extensive reps on his short-range game, working through contact layup drills and finishing through bodies around the rim.
The outside shooting emphasis is the notable part. Marshall converted just 29.1% of his 3-pointers last season, a figure well below the 38.7% he posted in his final season in New Orleans. Defenses have adjusted accordingly, sagging off him and clogging the driving lanes that make his interior game so effective.
That interior game remains his calling card. Marshall has converted nearly 60% of his 2-point attempts over two seasons in Dallas thanks to a devastating floater and a knack for absorbing contact and still finishing, which is why the layup work in the video looked like maintenance rather than repair.
The rest of his profile is already strong. Marshall was Dallas' second-leading scorer last season, posting career highs of 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 51% shooting from the field while starting 47 games. He added six 30-point performances after recording just two in his career before last season. He defends multiple positions, plays with genuine toughness and functions as a connective piece who makes winning plays without needing the ball.
Adding a reliable outside shot would change his ceiling entirely. A Marshall who can knock down catch-and-shoot 3-pointers at even a league-average clip becomes close to the perfect complementary forward, spacing the floor for Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving while still punishing closeouts with his drives.
The company he's keeping should help. Durant has built a career on shot-making that transcends size and position, while Alvarado, Marshall's former teammate in New Orleans, is one of the league's more relentless competitors.
Shooting percentages are notoriously stubborn, and a summer workout guarantees nothing. But Marshall drilling the areas where he needs to grow, rather than polishing what he's already good at, is a sign of a player taking his development seriously after getting paid.
