Heading into the Trade Deadline, the Detroit Pistons could be well served to make a push for a versatile Western Conference wing
With two days remaining until the NBA’s Trade Deadline, the Detroit Pistons have stood patiently up to this point, which is perfectly fine for the organization considering they hold all the cards.
Given Detroit’s 5.5 game lead over the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics in the East, the Pistons do not need to make a deal unless it can help patch a hole to take them over the top as a title contender. However, the Pistons simply do not have many weaknesses to repair, but two categories could use a bit of attention– perimeter shooting and the lack of a true secondary scorer.
According to the Clutch Points reporter Brett Siegel, the Pistons are evaluating Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall as a potential player who could fit Detroit’s style of hoops, though he’s not necessarily a consistent 20-point scorer and he’s certainly not a marksman from distance.
Now in his sixth season, Marshall is a 6-6 wing with good touch around the basket and can guard multiple positions on defense, which would be a big plus in Detroit’s system. Marshall uses his length and instincts well to jump into passing lanes at the last second, and that penchant for creating turnovers would immediately align with the defense-forward mentality on the Pistons.
From an offensive perspective, Marshall averages 14.6 points per game on a highly efficient 53.8% mark from the field, but he’s capable of considerably upping his output when the chance for added volume arises. Just two games ago, Marshall put up 30 points for the Mavericks against the Golden State Warriors with nine assists and seven rebounds to boot in a monster stat-stuffing performance for the swingman.
In terms of his playing style, Marshall is an aggressive slasher with a good feel in close proximity to the bucket. Whether as a face-up shooter or driving the lane, Marshall exercises good shot selection with the ability to finish through contact as well. Marshall boasts an above-60% field goal rate from the restricted area thanks to his versatile shot-making catalog, and he’s carved out a valuable role on the Mavs considering his skill set and flexibility.
From a financial standpoint, Marshall is on one of the better value deals in the league at just $9 million per year. After this season, Marshall has another year on his contract, but the value will only balloon to $9.4 million, securing his status as a premier low-cost, high-reward option who could potentially be on the market at the deadline.
From the Mavericks’ position, the 2025-26 regular season has not been kind to Dallas despite the rapid development from standout rookie Cooper Flagg. Outside of that revelation, the Mavs are in 12th place of the West with a 19-30 record, so Dallas is far from a mover and a shaker heading into this year’s Trade Deadline.
With Flagg’s best years still well ahead of him, the Mavericks could easily wind up as sellers over the next two days as they unload assets for future draft capital or young players that they can work with. That mixture could present an ideal scenario for the Pistons to orchestrate a trade for Marshall without sacrificing any part of their core.
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