Mavs sign Naji Marshall and say goodbye to Derrick Jones Jr.
While it seemed like Derrick Jones Jr. was going to return to Dallas, that wasn't the case on the first day of NBA free agency. He's headed to Los Angeles to play for the Clippers, and the Mavs pivoted to former Pelicans forward Naji Marshall. K&C discuss the Mavs' moves in the video above.
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00:00Look, I have to admit, I was pretty stunned by this turn of events because, and I realize
00:22people were talking about the agency switch and the 15 day delay and everything like that,
00:26but I thought the Mavericks were saying, Hey, maybe it's with Josh Green and the deal.
00:31Maybe it's just with the trade extension.
00:33We think we got a real shot at getting clay Thompson and perhaps still making a run or
00:37getting Derek Jones jr.
00:39With our most of our mid-level exception.
00:42So when I saw this, it, I have to admit, I was very surprised.
00:47The more you think about it, it makes sense.
00:50But just in a moment I was like, wait, what I try to be as honest as possible.
00:54So I'm going to be as honest as possible here.
00:56When I saw on Twitter last night, around 10 PM, before I went to bed, that the Mavericks
01:02had signed Najee Marshall to three years, 27 million.
01:05I said, who in the world is this person?
01:08I do not remember watching him play basketball ever.
01:12I did go to YouTube and watch highlights.
01:15And so he doesn't really look at all like Derek Jones jr.
01:19In like dunking the ball.
01:21He does like dunking left-handed.
01:22I will say that.
01:24So in that case, when you watch him dunking, it's a left-handed dunk.
01:28That looks like Derek Jones jr.
01:30Derek Jones jr.
01:31Is two more feet above the rim when he does it, which flies.
01:35But I do trust Nico right now.
01:39Nico had another plan in place.
01:42Mark Cuban never had another plan in place and it was amazing to us.
01:45Every year, I'm assuming this advisors would tell Mark, Mark, what if Dwight Howard doesn't
01:51want to play here?
01:52What if Chris Paul or Darren Williams doesn't want to play?
01:55He's like, nope, they're playing here.
01:57I already know it's a done deal.
01:58And then they would not choose the Mavs.
02:00And then the Mavs would be like, we literally have no clue what we're going to do.
02:03And it take them seven days to recover as the whole market was just gone.
02:09And then Mark Cuban would finally go, well, I guess since this didn't work and I'm blaming
02:13the agent and I'm blaming the player, I guess I will sign this dude.
02:18For example, one of them that ended up working out okay was Monte Ellis, but like they never
02:22liked Monte Ellis as a player.
02:24And they're like, screw it.
02:25He's the only person left on the market.
02:27We have money.
02:28Sign them.
02:29And it ended up being okay.
02:30But I will say, Nico, I trust him.
02:34He's been able to find a Derrick Jones Jr.
02:37Which when Derrick Jones Jr. was signed last year, it was later in this, he has not figured
02:43it out anywhere.
02:44And I'll tell you what, if the Miami Heat can't figure out how to use a player, we're
02:46not going to figure it out.
02:48And the Mavericks did.
02:49So even though I don't really know Najee Marshall and have only watched 10 minutes of highlights
02:54on YouTube on him, I have a feeling that Nico and the coaching staff believe that they can
03:00use that guy for 15 to 20 minutes a night in a positive way.