"Stay tuned. It’s a long season": Naji Marshall stays bullish on Dallas Mavericks despite Luka Doncic's nuclear performance (Exclusive) 

As he sat on the team bench, Dallas Mavericks small forward Naji Marshall appeared both determined and at peace.

A telling signal despite all the turbulence around him. The Mavericks faced the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday for the first time since trading superstar Luka Dončić nearly three weeks ago. Though the Mavericks touting a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in return, Anthony Davis was sidelined since straining his left adductor during his Mavericks’ debut. Dallas (31-27) enters Tuesday’s game against the Lakers (34-21) in eighth place in the Western Conference partly because it also has nursed other key injuries to Daniel Gafford (sprained right knee), Dereck Lively II (stress fracture in right ankle) and Dwight Powell (strained right hip).

Nonetheless, Marshall sounded bullish about the Mavericks’ direction.

“Stay tuned. It’s a long season,” Marshall told Sportskeeda. “We are not done yet. Stay tuned.”

Marshall discussed some of the sources of his optimism, including Kyrie Irving’s leadership, Klay Thompson’s play and Davis’ progress. Marshall also touched on the Dončić trade and for his recent four-game suspension in an on-court scuffle with former Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic.

Editor’s note: The following one-on-one conversation has been edited

and condensed.

What is the state of the team with the Luka trade, the various injuries and the games themselves?

Marshall: “I think we’re all still locked in. Everyone is still focused and not letting the outside noise derail the goals that we made up at the beginning of the season. And it’s still very possible to accomplish those. So I think that we’re in a great spot. I’m looking forward toward taking that on for the rest of the season with the guys.”

What are the goals?

Marshall: “Do big things. Of course, our main goal is to win a championship. But it’s also to get to the playoffs and win some games. Just being a winning basketball team, overall.

How do you do that given what has happened in the past month?

Marshall: “Hard work. We have to get the guys healthy. But for the most part, it’s all on us. We have to go out and play hard every night. We’ve won a lot of games despite being down a lot of players. So we showed that we’re capable. So there really isn’t any excuse. Until we get healthy again, we have to go out there and play as hard as we can.”

How have you seen Kyrie adjust to all of this?

Marshall: “He’s just a leader. So he’s been through things like this in his career. Being the player that he is, he’s stepping up to the plate and putting us on his back. He’s been taking over and we’ve been rocking with him. Before the games we go in that people don’t think we have any chance of winning, he just motivates us to go out there, be us and play our games and just leave it all out on the floor. He starts, and we follow. He just says, “Go out there and be you." It’s basketball at the end of the day.”

Given that Klay is a great catch-and-shoot player, how have you seen him and the group adapt with trying to get him open shots both during Luka’s injury and since the trade?

Marshall: “That’s been the same thing. He’s a leader and a four-time champion. So he’s seen it all at the highest level. He leads us mostly by his play and his character with who he is as a person. He’s experienced. With playing with Kai, there are a lot of guys that can score the ball. I think that makes it easier for him when he finds himself open a lot of times. It’s Klay. We need him to score 3s, and we want him to do so. That’s what he is for, so we find him and draw up plays for him and stuff like that.”

How do you evaluate how your season has gone so far?

Marshall: “Pretty good. I wish I could do better with having a sickness twice and getting suspended. So I want to finish the rest of the season strong. But I would say it’s been pretty good overall so far.”

What have you liked and what do you want to do better?

Marshall: “I just want to play more, to be honest. I know you can’t play in sickness. But I’m here and am going to take full advantage of that.’

What has J Kidd’s feedback been on that?

Marshall: “It’s all good. Just keep doing what I’m doing and play hard and do whatever it takes to help the team win.”

You’ve brought a physical toughness to the team. What impact has that had on the group?

Marshall: “That’s just who I am as a player. It’s a grown-man’s game at the end of the day. So I kind of have to do that. I’m hard-nosed.”

You said you didn’t like being suspended, but you were also standing up for yourself and the group. How did you look at that situation overall?

Marshall: “It’s definitely important. Definitely there are a lot of good teams that have those enforcer guys. They are there to protect their teammates, no matter what. It’s a part of the game. It helps you win games, too, especially in the playoffs. It’s very important. We have solid guys. It’s a good group. We’re always standing up for each other. It’s not just me.”

Were you surprised on the length of the suspension?

Marshall: “Yeah, kind of, but it is what it is. I’ll take that.

What do you expect tonight will be like with facing Luka?

Marshall: “High-energy and good basketball and give something for the fans to watch. I just have to lock in and play my game as hard as I can.”

What do you take away from your time playing with Luka?

Marshall: “It was amazing. He’s a great player. I learned a lot from him. A lot of the things that he does, I’ve added to my game with my playmaking and getting downhill. I’ve been trying to implement some of the things that he does. Watching him was amazing.”

We all know the NBA is a business. But what do you make of how this whole past month has played out with the trade and the aftermath?

Marshall: “It is what it is. This is what we signed up for. Life is not always fair. But you have to deal with the cards that we’re dealt. That’s where we’re at right now. Life is good.”

AD has been mostly injured, but how have you seen him adjust with his circumstances?

Marshall: “He’s been amazing. He’s been a great leader and is another NBA champion and another guy that has played a lot of basketball. He’s been trying to give his two cents when he feels it’s needed and keep us intact. He wants to get back and wants to be playing with us. Once he does, it’s going to be scary.”

What do you think you all can be once he returns?

Marshall: “The same thing, but a bigger lineup. Stay tuned. It’s a long season. We are not done yet. Stay tuned.”

Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.