Free Agency Report: Mavs Reach Contract Agreement with JaVale McGee
The Dallas Mavericks had two major priorities heading into this offseason: re-signing Jalen Brunson and improving at the center position.
The former isn't looking great, as multiple reports say Brunson intends to sign a four-year deal with the New York Knicks. However, the latter is looking pretty good, as the Mavs swung a trade for Houston Rockets big man Christian Wood before the draft. And now, another reinforcement is on the way.
According to Shams Charania, JaVale McGee has agreed to sign a three-deal deal worth $20.1 million. The last year of the deal is a player option. The Mavs targeted McGee at the start of free agency, and apparently beat out competition from the Milwaukee Bucks to sign him.
McGee, although 34 years old, is one of the more serviceable backup big men in the league, as he averaged 9.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks for the Phoenix Suns last season while playing just 15.8 minutes per game. McGee shot 62.9 percent from the field. He also had a memorable moment vs. his soon-to-be teammate Luka Doncic in the second round of the playoffs.
As Mavs fans will surely remember, this isn't McGee's first stint in Dallas. He was with the 2015-16 team that went 42-40 and finished as the sixth seed in the Western Conference. McGee only appeared in 34 games for then-coach Rick Carlisle and averaged 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in just 10.9 minutes per game.
According to another report from Tim MacMahon, McGee says he expects to be the Mavs' starting center ... which is a curious statement to make given the trade for Wood, but we'll see how it all plays out in training camp. Mavs coach Jason Kidd and assistant Jared Dudley were factors in McGee choosing Dallas.
The elephant in the room now, with the acquisitions of both Wood and McGee, is what will happen with Dwight Powell, who is on an $11 million expiring contract? As highly as the Mavs think of Powell, his spot on the roster might not make much sense anymore. We're keeping our eyes peeled for another trade at some point this offseason.
