JaVale McGee to Mavericks: Latest Contract Details, Analysis and Reaction
JaVale McGee has landed what might be his last NBA shot, agreeing to a contract with the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, announced the team:
ESPN's Marc Stein reported the center would get a two-year contract.
McGee, 27, played for the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers last season. His Sixers run ended after an aborted six-game stint and March buyout, after which he was not signed by another team. The Celtics initially pursued McGee when he became available, but the deal fell apart when neither side could agree which would get an option for 2015-16.
Philadelphia is still paying McGee as part of its buyout agreement, so the finances of any deal for McGee were never that important. Finding the right fit, however, could be the difference between him reviving his NBA career and it being over.
Sacramento became an early favorite for him this summer, especially amid the DeMarcus Cousins uncertainty. Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports reported the Kings had interest in McGee before the draft. Coach George Karl is perhaps the only NBA coach to come close to reaching the enigmatic center.
McGee has been limited to 28 appearances over the last two seasons due to injuries and ineffectiveness. A stress fracture in his left tibia limited him to five games in 2013-14, and he was largely jettisoned from the rotation in Denver when he returned last season.
While he's long been recognized for his extreme physical gifts, McGee's mental errors have made him a source of constant frustration. He's the closest thing one could possibly have to a series regular on Shaqtin' A Fool, the TNT segment in which Shaquille O'Neal celebrates the NBA's laughably bad. The lasting images most fans have of his career likely include one thunderous pick-and-roll dunk, a scintillating block and a blockheaded mental error, possibly the highlight of him running back on defense when his team still had the ball.
The risk here for Dallas is nonexistent. McGee will likely be getting paid table scraps in NBA terms. He can be moved on from or buried on the bench without much repercussion. The idea here is that McGee might be motivated with his career on life support and add value as a backup center.
For all of his faults, McGee is a 7'0", 270-pound big man with elite athleticism. Had he ever found the right mix between goofing off and dedicating himself to the sport, it's possible McGee would have an All-Star appearance to his name by now. He was still posting nearly three blocks per 36 minutes last season. There is an alternate universe where McGee becomes a dynamic two-way Tyson Chandler type.
This isn't that universe, though, so McGee is left scrounging for whatever roster spot he can get. We'll have to see if McGee is able to take advantage.
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