Reports: Mavericks, JaVale McGee negotiating contract
Dallas missed out on DeAndre Jordan, so it is reportedly pursuing JaVale McGee.
JaVale McGee is once again a potential DeAndre Jordan replacement. When it looked like the Los Angeles Clippers were going to lose their center to the Dallas Mavericks, they reportedly explored bringing in McGee. Now, with Jordan's free-agency fiasco over, McGee is in contract talks with Dallas, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Dwain Price and RealGM's Shams Charania.
If they work the details out, McGee will split time with center Zaza Pachulia. This move was foreshadowed by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban telling ESPN, "I think we need to get a center, obviously. Zaza can play; don't get me wrong. The guy can shoot. He can rebound, but it would be nice to have somebody who can play above the rim, so we're looking at some of our options there."
McGee can indeed play above the rim. The question is how effective he can be at this stage of his career. The Philadelphia 76ers chose to waive him in March after acquiring him from the Denver Nuggets and playing him for six games. This is a bit of a risk for Dallas, as McGee has been injured or otherwise not a part of an NBA rotation since the end of the 2012-13 season.
From McGee's perspective, the Mavericks give him a great landing spot. Historically, the team has done well with big guys who just have to block shots and rebound. If the 27-year-old does the things head coach Rick Carlisle wants him to do, he could possibly change his perception around the league and earn a bigger contract. What a weird bunch of offseason acquisitions for Dallas, though: the Wesley Matthews deal, Pachulia, Deron Williams and maybe McGee.
