The Dallas Mavericks continue to make low risk, high reward moves in an effort to recover from DeAndre Jordan backing out of a verbal commitment. Last week they traded a future second-round pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for Zaza Pachulia, and now they are in contract talks with JaVale McGee, according to RealGM.
McGee is most well-known for always being on the blooper reel, as he often has mental lapses on the court, but he still can bring something to the table. In the past two seasons McGee has played in a combined 28 games due to injuries and being taken out of the Denver Nuggets rotation. The Nuggets then traded McGee to the Philadelphia 76ers where he bought out after playing in only six games.
Although McGee is entering his eighth season in the league, he is still only 27 years old so he should still have plenty left in the tank. He has always been thought of as an incredibly raw and talented player with extremely high potential. McGee did have a stretch, from 2010-11 to 2012-13, where he was a key contributor to the Washington Wizards and the Denver Nuggets. In that time, McGee averaged more than two blocks per game, and that is where his best value lies.
For his career McGee averages 1.8 blocks in less than 20 minutes per game, which per 36 minutes is more than three blocks a game. When he is on the floor McGee is one of the elite rim protectors in the game. McGee doesn't offer much in the way of offense besides dunks but he is a very good offensive rebounder and is capable of getting his team extra possessions.
The past two years have not gone well for McGee, as he went from a guy that could have been a big time player to somebody that never gets talked about. If the Mavericks do lock him down he and Pachulia would likely share the center position. That's not an awful backup plan considering they were blindsided by Jordan staying with the Clippers. McGee will likely get a minimum deal, which could end up being a bargain for Dallas if he somehow happens to round back into form.
