Mavericks' Naji Marshall to Play Against Pelicans, Danté Exum Could Return on Road Trip
The Dallas Mavericks will have Naji Marshall in the lineup for Wednesday’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. This matchup marks the beginning of a five-game road trip.
Marshall (illness), who missed four games due to illness, is available to play but on a 15-minute restriction. Danté Exum (right wrist surgery) was downgraded to out after initially being listed as doubtful. The Mavericks continued to rule out Luka Dončić (left calf strain), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture), Maxi Kleber (right foot fracture), and Dwight Powell (right hip strain).
Exum began participating in on-court pre-game workouts before the Mavericks’ loss against the Hornets. He’s continued to do so since while having his wrist wrapped in a more subtle protection than the brace he used to wear.
“It’s trending in the right way. The wrist feels really, really good,” Kidd shared about Exum’s progress. “We’ll see how he does today and tomorrow. Hopefully, that continues, and hopefully, we get to see him sometime, maybe on this trip. Maybe.”
Exum had been poised to play a significant role off the bench this season after averaging 7.8 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.7 rebounds across 55 games last year. He was competing for the starting wing position before a knee bursitis issue arose midseason.
Daniel Gafford has been a bright spot as the Mavericks navigate a spate of injuries, solidifying his role as the starting center. He will continue to be heavily depended on as other centers remain sidelined. During the Mavericks’ 130-108 victory over the Washington Wizards, Dallas deployed P.J. Washington as a small ball center before bringing in Markieff Morris and Kylor Kelley to fill the gap.
The Mavericks will benefit from having Marshall, who’s averaging 11.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this season, even if it’s for 15 minutes or less. He brings a helpful scoring option while Dončić is out, while adding more wing depth for the team to leverage when small ball is necessary.
