On Thursday, it was reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic that the New Orleans Pelicans will sign rookie Naji Marshall to a three-year, $5.3 million contract.
The contract is reportedly fully guaranteed through the 2022-23 season.
Marshall, who signed a two-way contract after going undrafted last year, turned in a strong month of April with the Pelicans after playing sparingly previously. In 16 games, Marshall averaged 8.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 37.5% shooting from 3-point range.
Since entering the rotation, Marshall has scored in double figures seven times with his best performance coming April 16 when he produced 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Marshall’s new deal with the Pelicans has three fully guaranteed seasons (2021-23) — and a guarantee trigger date for the 2023-24 season, sources said. https://t.co/IZvrgyQJmH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 6, 2021
Marshall has become one of the Pelicans’ best defenders, and he has even drawn the task of guarding the opposition’s top player. His ability at both ends of the court has given head coach Stan Van Gundy and the Pelicans the luxury of keeping him on the floor late in games.
Given his strong play, speculation began to swirl that Marshall would eventually be signed to a standard contract. Last month, John Hollinger of The Athletic wrote the Pelicans could sign Marshall toward the end of the season and still remain under the luxury tax.
The emergence of Marshall this season has been a positive for the Pelicans. They certainly value his skill set on the court and believe he can be a valuable piece moving forward.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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