JaVale McGee: Potential Impact in Dallas

Pros & Cons of Newest Maverick JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee has reportedly come to a decision to join the Dallas Mavericks on a 2-year minimum deal that includes a team option for the second year. The addition is a low-risk, high-reward situation for the Mavericks that comes with concerns but the potential to pay dividends.

The Mavs are getting an experienced center who, despite some infamous lowlights, has actually had a few solid years in the NBA. Compound that with the fact that we are getting him for a minimum deal and only one guaranteed season in a Mavericks uniform and you can see why this deal makes sense.

So aside from the team-friendly contract the Dallas Mavericks have swung with McGee, what are the other pros to having him on the team?

PROS:

First thing first, McGee definitely adds a presence to the middle of the defense with a legitimate ability to protect the rim. In his career, McGee has averaged 1.8 blocks per game while topping the 2.0 mark in 3 different seasons.

Compare those numbers with Tyson Chandler, who has averaged 1.3 blocks per game with no season ever eclipsing the 1.8 mark.

Feb 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center JaVale McGee (1) dunks against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Pacers defeated the 76ers 106-95. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

McGee has not made the impact you would like to see on the glass in his time on the court, with a career average of 5.5 rebounds per game, but in his best seasons earlier in his career he managed to hit rebounding numbers of 8.0 and 8.8 boards per game.

The biggest draw to JaVale, however, might be his ability to score effectively above the rim.

McGee has a career average of 8.4 points per game shooting 54% from the field but, when given quality minutes over a season (20.0+ mpg) he has averaged double digit scoring.

Unfortunately, players with numbers like these don’t come this cheap for no reason…

CONS:

The biggest turnoff for JaVale Mcgee has to be his injury history. After his first 5 seasons in the NBA, McGee was averaging nearly 71 games per season.

Over his last 2 seasons however, he has played a total of 28 games and averaged under 11 minutes. After seeing the Mavs training staff do wonders on a number of players that have come through the system including Tyson Chandler, this doesn’t worry me personally.

Although with Matthews (achilles), Parsons (knee), Mcgee (leg), and Dirk (old), I hope we aren’t just overworking this top notch medical staff that we have.

Jan 20, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee (34) during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The other big area of concern for McGee may be his often questionable choices on the court.

Listen, JaVale’s athleticism and ability should not be overlooked here. He is a freak of an athlete who has put up solid numbers and shown that he can play basketball at a high level.

But, unlike most players in the league, McGee makes some less-than optimal choices on the court. As a regular on the programs ‘SportsCenter’s Not Top 10’ and ‘Shaqtin A Fool’ where he has even earned the nickname “Tragic Bronson”, McGee definitely has a bit of a wild side. Not always an easy thing to work out of a player but I think with the help of Coach Carlisle, we could see a new JaVale McGee out there this year.

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The last concern I have with the Mavs signing JaVale McGee is just the crowded center position going into the season. As a firm believer in Pachulia and his skill set and a firm nonbeliever in Samuel Dalembert, I worry that the 3-headed ‘monster’ we have gone out to grab may in turn hurt each individual in their effectiveness.

VERDICT:

As I said at the beginning, I think this move to acquire JaVale McGee is a potentially rewarding deal for both parties at a low cost for the Mavericks.

With his skill set and athleticism, McGee could make a big difference for a Mavs team in desperate need of some rim protection and some dunking. If he doesn’t pan out, the Mavericks can cut him loose after one season with a knowledge that they paid next to nothing on a worthy gamble.

Until we get the chance to see what he can do for us this season, we can at least be confident in the fact that the Dallas Mavericks are doing whatever they can to secure a team that can compete this year.

Welcome to Dallas JaVale, we are excited to have you here!

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