Naji Marshall could be a steal for the New Orleans Pelicans after going undrafted.
Every year there are players who get overlooked in the NBA draft who end up being impact players. The New Orleans Pelicans hope Naji Marshall is one of them.
Most recently, the Miami Heat were able to find Duncan Robinson and Kendrik Nunn on the undrafted scrap heap and both were solid contributors on a team that just made the NBA Finals.
Fred VanVleet was undrafted and just signed a huge contract with the Raptors, so it is possible to find talent outside of two rounds of the NBA Draft.
This is especially true in 2020, when teams didn’t have as much time to scout players, nor the advantage of seeing them play in the postseason.
The Pelicans are hoping that they have found the next great undrafted player in Naji Marshall, a wing out of Xavier who they have signed to a two-way deal heading into training camp.
Most two-way players are longshots to make the rotation, but due to a lack of wings on the roster, Marshall might actually stand a chance of being in the bench rotation, especially if he can impress with his defense.
Here are his strengths and weaknesses, as well as how he might fit on the Pelicans.
New Orleans Pelicans: Signing Naji Marshall to a two-way contract could pay off.
Naji Marshall’s Strengths
Marshall is a 6-foot-7 wing who many thought could go in the first round of the NBA Draft. The knock against him is that at age 22, he is an older prospect who played three seasons at Xavier.
Marshall already has some skills that should translate to the next level. He is a skilled passer who averaged four assists per game in college and is smart with the basketball.
He’s adept at getting to the rim and can finish with either hand, showing nice touch around the hoop.
But his calling card is his defense. Marshall gets after it on that end, can defend positions 1-3 with active hands and quick feet. He averaged 1.3 steals per game while leading the Xavier defense with plays like this:
Marshall is the type of guy who will take on the challenge of defending the other team’s best player and he plays with energy and intensity.
He’s also a very good weak side shot blocker and can be disruptive closing out on shooters or rotating to help.
Marshall is one of those guys who can do a little bit of everything and doesn’t need the ball to be effective.
He can finish at the hoop with either hand and shot 72.5 percent from the free-throw line, which will hopefully translate to a better jump shot.
Speaking of shooting…
New Orleans Pelicans: Naji Mashall could be the steal of the 2020 NBA Draft
Naji Marshall’s Weaknesses
If Marshall is going to be an effective 3-and-D wing in the NBA, he currently only has one half of the equation and that’s the defense.
Marshall shot just 28.6 percent from long range, and unfortunately, that was on a fair volume of five per game, so Marshall’s shot will have to get a lot more consistent if he wants to make the roster.
Luckily, the Pelicans have had some luck with broken shots, turning Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram into above-average 3-point shooters after they struggled early in their respective careers.
Hopefully, Fred Vinson can work his magic on Marshall because if he can learn to shoot, he will definitely have a place in the NBA.
Shot consistency can definitely hold a prospect back, but it is one of the things that most young players improve. Marshall had a much higher usage rate in college than he ever will in the NBA, so his shot selection should be much better.
He won’t be asked to do as much, so if he can become an average shooter of the corner 3-pointer while running the floor, that is all Marshall needs to do on offense.
But does he have a place in the New Orleans Pelicans’ rotation?
New Orleans Pelicans: Naji Marshall could make the roster and play
Naji Marshall’s fit on the Pelicans
The good news for Marshall is that the Pelicans have a lot of guards and no wings outside of Brandon Ingram.
They desperately need some size and defense on the wing, and if Marshall can provide it, he could potentially make this rotation in his first season unless the Pels make an additional deal.
Right now, their forward depth is thin with just Ingram, Zion Williamson and Nicolo Melli currently on the roster. With the news that Zylan Cheatham and Kenrich Williams were included in the Steven Adams four-team trade, the Pelicans are fresh out of wings.
At 22-years-old, Marshall has the experience and physique to step right in and play, especially if he can shoot with more consistency.
He is the type of intense, bulldog defender that the Pelicans lacked before getting Steven Adams, and he would fit well as a complement to Ingram on the wing.
Marshall is a low-risk opportunity for the Pelicans, as he fills a definite need and could get a chance to play right away if he performs well in training camp.
Naji Marshall could end up being one of the steals of 2020, a guy most teams passed on because he was a little too old. Their loss could be the Pels’ gain.