Report: Dallas Mavericks, JaVale McGee In Contract Talks

After failing to land DeAndre Jordan in what proved to be one of the strangest stories of the offseason so far, the Dallas Mavericks have since moved on. Not only have they signed Zaza Pachulia and are working on a deal to bring Deron Williams back to his hometown, it is also being reported that the team is currently negotiating on a contract with free agent center JaVale McGee, per Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: The NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time

Although Mavs owner Mark Cuban raved about Pachulia’s midrange game and rebounding, he also expressed the need for a big man who is capable of playing above the rim, as explained by ESPN’s Marc Stein:

"“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.”"

If this report is accurate, the Mavs are in fact getting a big guy who can play above the rim when he is healthy, as the above video illustrates. Furthermore, being that he will more than likely split time at the center spot with Pachulia, McGee should flourish in a limited role where he will be required to just block a few shots while being a solid presence on the glass.

But despite his ability to play well at both ends of the floor, there is a bit of a concern that comes with this potential acquisition. The issue in question is how effective can McGee be at this point in his career?

Season	Age	Tm	Pos	G	GS	MP	FG%	FT%	TRB	BLK	PF	PTS
2008-09	21	WAS	C	75	14	15.2	.494	.660	3.9	1.0	2.1	6.5
2009-10	22	WAS	C	60	19	16.1	.508	.638	4.1	1.7	2.0	6.4
2010-11	23	WAS	C	79	75	27.8	.550	.583	8.0	2.4	2.9	10.1
2011-12	24	TOT	C	61	45	25.2	.556	.461	7.8	2.2	2.7	11.3
2011-12	24	WAS	C	41	40	27.4	.535	.500	8.8	2.5	2.9	11.9
2011-12	24	DEN	C	20	5	20.6	.612	.373	5.8	1.6	2.4	10.3
2012-13	25	DEN	C	79	0	18.1	.575	.591	4.8	2.0	2.3	9.1
2013-14	26	DEN	C	5	5	15.8	.447	1.000	3.4	1.4	3.2	7.0
2014-15	27	TOT	C	23	0	11.1	.532	.667	2.7	0.9	1.3	4.6
2014-15	27	DEN	C	17	0	11.5	.557	.690	2.8	1.1	1.6	5.2
2014-15	27	PHI	C	6	0	10.2	.444	.500	2.2	0.2	0.3	3.0
Career				382	158	19.9	.540	.587	5.5	1.8	2.4	8.4

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/13/2015.

For starters, the Philadelphia Sixers opted to wave the big man six games after they acquired him from the Denver Nuggets this past season, which means that McGee has either been injured, or not part of a team rotation since the conclusion of the 2012-13 campaign. The Mavs could be taking a risk here to say the least.

And following his breakout 2011-12 season — a season in which he posted career highs in points (11.9), rebounds (8.8), and blocks per game (2.5) in 41 appearances with the Washington Wizards — McGee’s production has tailed off in each subsequent season since.

But if McGee can somehow regain the form he showed a few seasons ago, this move is definitely a win-win scenario for both sides. And although these acquisitions will not be enough to turn the Mavs into a playoff team in a tough Western Conference, their recent moves prove that they are at least attempting to remain competitive and have no plans of tanking next season.

Next: Can Deron Williams Turn The Mavericks Into A Contender?

More from Hoops Habit

Home/Dallas Mavericks