JaVale McGee Set To Be Waived
JaVale McGee never averaged more than 13 points and nine rebounds per game throughout his NBA career and yet, he’s a three-time NBA champion (twice with the Golden State Warriors and once with the Los Angeles Lakers). That’s because McGee does more than just score and rebound.
Over his career, the 35-year-old Nevada alum is averaging 7.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 57.8% field goal shooting. Stats that don’t exactly pop off the page. But wherever he’s gone, and he’s well travelled by this point in his career having played for 8 different franchises, he’s carved out a meaningful role for himself.
A throwback big, who likes to bang in the paint and play a physical brand of defense, McGee doesn’t need the ball in his hand to affect the game. Something that’s served him well throughout his 15 year NBA career.
Last season, he signed a three-year, $17.2M contract with the Dallas Mavericks. Across 42 regular-season games, McGee averaged 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game. In the end however, the Mavs missed the play-in tournament despite acquiring Kyrie Irving via a mid-season trade. Unfortunately for McGee, his Dallas stint now appears to be over before year 2 of his original deal comes into effect.
McGee’s Time In Dallas Coming To A Close
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Dallas Mavericks will stretch the remainder of JaVale McGee’s remaining deal and waive the former 1st round pick. Taking over his roster slot would be Markeiff Morris- another ex-Laker who won a ring with McGee back in 2020.
The 7’ center also picked up his player option for the 2024-2025 season, meaning that the remainder of his fully guaranteed Dallas contract will be stretched across five seasons in which he would be paid $2.3M annually.
Morris, on the other hand, is reportedly signing a non-guaranteed one-year contract with the Mavs. He joined Dallas last season as a part of the Kyrie Irving deal and averaged 3.8 points and two rebounds in eight games.
Possible Landing Spots
Once he clears the waivers, McGee would be free to join any team as an unrestricted free agent. Fortunately for him, there are a handful of NBA teams still in need of a serviceable big man.
One possible scenario would be a return to Golden State where he was an integral part of the back-to-back champion teams of 2017 and 2018. The Warriors could offer one of their two remaining open roster spots to McGee on a veteran minimum deal. And since he already played alongside Chris Paul with the Phoenix Suns, McGee should find it easier to resume his former role out West as a rim protector and a reliable screen setter.
McGee will undoubtedly have other suitors because of his height and championship pedigree. However, only a select number of NBA teams can offer what McGee wants to finish his NBA career with: a chance to win a fourth NBA title.
The Lakers are reportedly kicking the tires on McGee on a minimum deal. In their 2020 championship run, McGee averaged 6.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 63.4% field goal shooting across 68 starts with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, the Lakers roster is already quite full after a busy 2023 offseason, and adding McGee seems like a long shot at this point.
Another familiar option for McGee would be the Phoenix Suns where he would reunite with former Laker Coach Frank Vogel. McGee could then act as a solid backup center to Deandre Ayton, while having as good a shot as any to take home ring number 4 of his career.
While the move itself hasn’t become official, it’s expected to take place prior to the August 31st deadline. If the team ultimately moves forward with the stretch and waive process, McGee’s salary will come off the books following the 2028 campaign.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Game Face. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.