Picture Naji Marshall dribbling toward a screen. His defender can take the shorter path underneath it, conceding room for a jumper, or follow him over and face the difficulty of staying connected. This is a hypothetical possession, but it captures the choice Mavericks coach Dusty May described Thursday: better shooting would give Marshall more space to create by forcing defenders over picks.
At Dallas’ fifth training-camp practice, May connected Marshall’s shooting aspiration to the amount of space available around the offense. Better perimeter shooting, in May’s assessment, would force defenders to get over picks rather than treating Marshall as a convenient place to help. That is a valuable distinction for a Mavericks team built around players who need room to create decisions with the ball.
Marshall’s value to Dallas can extend beyond his own shot attempts. His jumper could influence possessions in which he never takes a shot. A defender who stays attached changes the driving lane, the timing of help and the passing window that follows. Basketball is occasionally cruel enough to make an important player invisible in the box score.
The numbers explain why May’s assessment carries both promise and caution. Marshall made 29.1% of his three-point attempts last season. In 2023-24, with New Orleans, he made 38.7%.
The gap is 9.6 percentage points, a substantial difference when a defender is deciding whether to shrink the floor. The older mark included 58 makes on 150 attempts, enough to establish a real season of production without turning it into a guarantee of what comes next.
Marshall’s 45% target, mentioned at media day, should be understood as an aspiration rather than a forecast. Dallas does not require that exact outcome to gain tactical value. Defenders do not wait for mathematical certainty before changing coverage.
They only need to conclude that repeatedly going under screens will become too expensive. A shooter can alter the defense before reaching an elite level, provided his misses do not give opponents permission to abandon him.
That is where the idea becomes more demanding than a shooting drill. May is asking for a perimeter threat that affects the entire possession. Marshall must be credible enough that his defender remains engaged when the ball moves away, when a screen develops nearby or when a teammate begins an attack.
If the defender stays connected, the Mavericks have gained space before Marshall has decided whether to shoot. If the defender sags, Marshall gets the chance to punish the choice.
The objective also requires restraint. Marshall does not need to turn every touch into a long-range attempt, and Dallas should not confuse increased attention with a mandate for forced shots. The useful version of this role involves taking the open jumper when the coverage offers it, then making the next sensible decision when the defense closes.
