SEPTEMBER 2: The signing is official, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
SEPTEMBER 1: McGee is signing a guaranteed minimum-salary contract, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
AUGUST 31: Free agent center JaVale McGee is signing with the Kings, according to Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report (Twitter link). The Mavericks officially waived McGee on Tuesday and now he’s set to join another Western Conference contender.
McGee, 35, signed with Dallas last year on a three-year, $17MM deal and opened the year as a starter, but quickly fell out of the rotation altogether. In all, McGee averaged 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 42 games (career-low 8.5 minutes) with the Mavericks. Once it was clear McGee was no longer in the team’s future plans, Dallas cut him loose this offseason and is stretching his remaining salary over the next five years for roughly $2.35MM through 2027/28.
The Kings will hope McGee, a three-time champion, has enough left in the tank to help contribute to a team that ended a 16-season playoff drought last year. McGee is just one season removed from averaging 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in Phoenix, where he played in 74 games and made 17 starts.
Sacramento’s interest in McGee was reported shortly after he was waived by Dallas. It’s unclear what kind of deal he’s signing, but it likely isn’t for more than the veteran’s minimum and may not be fully guaranteed.
Sacramento’s roster is stacked with backup centers. Nerlens Noel, Neemias Queta, Alex Len and Skal Labissiere (reported) are likely to compete with McGee for minutes and/or a roster spot. Queta and Noel are in more direct competition with McGee for a roster spot. Len’s roster spot appears safe and Labissiere is joining on a training camp deal with the goal of him playing for the Stockton Kings next year. Meanwhile, Noel has a $300K partial guarantee and Queta has a $250K partial guarantee.
Light the McGeem!!!
This isn’t it
I honestly see Neemias Queta and Skal Labissiere both playing for their G League team. Neemias Queta playing Center and Skal Labissiere playing Power Forward.
I think the Sacramento Kings will start Domantas Sabonis at Center because he’s a top 5 center in the NBA.
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Joel Embiid
3. Bam Adebayo
4. Domantas Sabonis
5. Rudy Gobert
Now the knock on Domantas Sabonis is he’s not a rim protector. So he needs a backup to be that. Alex Len has been a bust through his career and will likely be at the end of the bench all season long. Nerlens Noel is a very good defensive player and rim protector but an injury prone. JaVale McGee is likely the answer at backup Center because he’s a very good rim protector and knows Mike Brown defensive scheme extremely well. At this stage of JaVale McGee career I think he’s good for 12 minutes a game.
In Shaq’s voice:
“Javale!! McBeam…..!!!”
Waive Len
Len is a lock sorry
But I thought the Knicks were interested? He doesn’t want to play in the Mecca?
How many centers does this team need? That’s like 6
Yeeeeee
Good call Luke!
Luke who?!
Skywalker
Me? Or the other Luke
Someone asked about this in the live chat and Luke said he thought Kings potentially partially non-guaranteed
I think Luke 207 also mentioned it a couple days ago. Javale McGee to the kings.
Thank you
GSW missed out on this one. They got one center
Giants niners kings
Yup BAY Area diaspora
puts em over the top.
Light the Beam
As a former Warriors fan
I am now happy to support a mid market darling
Kings not Sheep!
McGee is the best if the 5 centers on Kings
Not named Domas…