NBA Rumors: Wizards Smart to Pass on JaVale McGee Extension

The Washington Wizards are beginning a new era now that Flip Sanders is gone and today’s move suggests they are finally heading into the right direction.

Today the team reportedly is unlikely to make an 11^th hour deal offering a new contract to center JaVale McGee as first reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Instead of having to shell out a multi-year extension at this exact moment, the team can watch the fourth year player’s progression as the season rolls along.

Currently he is averaging career-highs in virtually every major category: points (11.2), rebounds (9.0), blocks (2.9) and steals (1.0).

But sometimes stats don’t tell the whole story. McGee has never seemed very interested in help defense or hustling. He was pulled from a game recently for throwing an alley-oop off the backboard to himself for a dunk with his team down over 20 points. There’s something about competing and wanting to win that he has yet to grasp.

Is that the kind of player you want potentially making eight figures a year?

This year the restricted free agent is making $3.5 million, which sounds about right for the production he is giving out. The problem is, when DeAndre Jordan signed a four-year deal worth $43 million after averaging roughly seven points and seven rebounds, the market for a player like McGee got much more expensive. What makes matters worse is that McGee and Jordan share the same agent (BJ Armstrong) and that never bodes well for the team.

Lee reports that the Wizards still like McGee, and have the intention of matching any offer the restricted free agent receives.

Consider the rest of the season to be an audition for management. If he shows steady improvements and a willingness to hustle and play defense, he may be worth bringing back. If he continues to make boneheaded decisions in blowouts and lobby for himself in the dunk contest, kick him to the curb.

Judging by his track record…I think McGee is playing elsewhere at this time next year.