Mavericks’ Marshall, Grimes Additions Just as Key as Klay Thompson Signing

For the Dallas Mavericks , one can’t overstate what bringing in Klay Thompson could do for their group. Thompson is not in his prime at this stage, but he’s still an elite shooter that will only make Dallas’ top weapons tougher to account for.

Thompson’s resume speaks for itself, and the threat he still poses off-ball and as a movement player will still bend defenses, and that should boost Dallas offensively. That’s safe to say, particularly with how Luka Dončić can pass the rock.

While the Thompson signing via three-year, $50 million deal brought in a still-nuclear shooter and all-time catch-and-shoot player, one shouldn’t discount the league’s last runner-up in Dallas bringing in Naji Marshall as well. The same goes for them trading for a very underappreciated player in Quentin Grimes , in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks.

Mavericks Moves for Marshall and Grimes Are Underrated

Dallas had a terrific offseason with key additions apart from Thompson

The addition of Thompson will give Dallas’ offense one of the best shooters ever. Thompson has lost a step or two on defense, but he’s still one of the game’s top catch-and-shoot snipers, which should give this Mavericks offense more versatility.

Thompson hit 38.7 percent of his three-point attempts last season, and was second in total catch-and-shoot points, per Second Spectrum’s tracking data. He’s sixth all-time in three-pointers made, and is going to make Dallas more dynamic on offense.

As was aforementioned, though, Dallas’ moves for Marshall and Grimes shouldn’t go unnoticed.

What Naji Marshall Brings to the Table

Marshall, who signed a three-year, $27 million deal with Dallas in unrestricted free agency, has established himself as a relentless perimeter defender in recent seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans .

He will apply constant ball pressure, and is a perimeter pest and a major threat to generate live-ball turnovers. Marshall is a talented wing defender who takes away space for opponents to get into drives, and he routinely minimizes angles for players to get into gaps or in-rhythm pull-ups.

The 6-foot-6 Marshall can be downright suffocating for opposing perimeter ball-handlers, and he’s more than capable of digging in against forwards. His quickness enables him to recover when needed, and Marshall’s hands are outstanding as it pertains to getting ripaways, and he’s active in passing lanes, too.

Over the last two seasons, Marshall averaged 1.4 and 1.1 steals per-36 minutes, respectively. His aggression could help set the tone for Dallas’ defense in coming seasons, and he gives plenty of effort with his rebounding positioning and in snagging loose balls as well.

On offense, while Marshall is not going to have a high usage for Dallas, he could be a nice role piece for stretches on the floor.

He probably won’t be a volume shooter from beyond the arc, but he did make strides with his catch-and-shoot play last season, and he can fill lanes similarly to how Derrick Jones Jr. did for Dallas on the open floor, and Marshall is an instinctive cutter. That should pair well for stretches playing off of Dončić and Kyrie Irving .

Marshall has also shown he can make plays at times as a secondary driver attacking off the catch in set offense in the past two seasons with New Orleans. Plus, on top of him being a highly capable finisher inside, he can take advantage at times against mismatches, either with quickness or his physicality near the basket.

Grimes is a Sneaky Good Pickup for Dallas

A good 3-and-D wing to replace Josh Green

From there, Dallas’ move to acquire Grimes from the Detroit Pistons has seemingly flown a bit under the radar.

That is partly because Grimes barely appeared with the Pistons due to a knee injury after they acquired him from the New York Knicks last season. He has since “been 100 percent” for some time, as he expressed to local media recently, via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.

One will have to see how much Grimes plays and where he fits in the rotation, but he has shown some capability to be a 3-and-D presence when given the chance.

Grimes should give Dallas another high-quality perimeter defender to have for stretches. He probably isn’t going to be on the wings nearly as often as Marshall, but Grimes is a very effective option to have against crucial opposing guards and ball-handlers.

He makes it difficult for primary playmakers to get to perimeter looks. He is typically on-point with on-ball contests, and he can recover if needed around screens. Plus, he can reroute and chase key off-ball movement shooters.

In his minutes, Grimes should give Dallas impactful play with how he can force opposing guards into tough shots, and bleed clock by staying attached and having high hands. He should be tasked to regularly handle the tougher on-ball assignments.

While defense is something to watch with Grimes, his shooting could also help Dallas.

Grimes has converted 37.1 percent of his three-point attempts through three seasons, and he could be another impactful catch-and-shoot threat for the Mavericks for stretches. Grimes is somebody who can make defenses pay for helping off of him. Likewise, he is a legitimate movement shooter as well.

So, clearly, while Thompson’s signing was the one that received the lion’s share of attention from Dallas’ stellar offseason, one shouldn’t disregard how Marshall and Grimes can help the Mavericks as well, especially on both ends of the floor.

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