New Orleans Pelicans: Naji Marshall could replace Josh Hart

The New Orleans Pelicans have lacked defense all season but may have accidentally found an answer in Naji Marshall.

Marshall was forced into action after the Pels got hit with the injury bug and has shown flashes that he can be the versatile, energy/hustle guy the Pelicans will need moving forward.

Josh Hart has played that role this season and done it well, as he is one of the best guard rebounders in the NBA and can defend multiple spots on the perimeter.

But the Pels need wings, not two-guards, and Hart lacks the size to defend a lot of forwards, which he has been asked to do for most of this season.

Hart is also due to be a free agent, and his injury, future salary demands and the plethora of available shooting guards might put him off the Pels’ radar.

Could Naji Marshall be his replacement? Let’s take a look.

New Orleans Pelicans: Naji Marshall is bigger than Josh Hart

The Pelicans are undersized at the wing behind Brandon Ingram. In fact for most of the season, they haven’t even really had a backup for Ingram, which is why Hart often gets stuck defending forwards.

When they signed Marshall to a two-way contract, I thought he could be an undrafted gem, a guy who could provide the Pels with a backup for Ingram.

Marshall is a couple of inches taller than Hart and has more prototypical size for a forward. In his short amount of time on the floor this season, Marshall looked comfortable defending on the perimeter as well as in the post.

Hart has stepped up and done whatever the Pelicans have asked him to do, but the fact remains that the Pelicans need more size. Hart has good size for a shooting guard, but is not as equipped to defend forwards.