As expected, the Dallas Mavericks have officially waived center JaVale McGee, will stretch out the remaining $11.7 million on his contract, and make the veteran a free agent.
The Kings reportedly are interested in picking him up, reports Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report/TNT.
If they bring in McGee, the Kings are set to have a little competition at training camp to see who will back up Domantas Sabonis at the five. They have Alex Len under contract, a partially guaranteed contract for Nerlens Noel, a partially guaranteed contract for Neemias Queta, and they have Trey Lyles locked up and he played some small-ball five last season. McGee is a three-time NBA champion (twice with the Warriors, plus the Lakers in the bubble), and Sacramento might value that in the locker room of a team with young stars.
Dallas brought in McGee last season after Kevon Looney pushed them around in the 2021 playoffs (and seeing guys in the West like Nikola Jokić they had to deal with). It didn’t work out, McGee looked slower and did not fit with Luka Dončić. Within a couple of months McGee was completely out of the rotation in Dallas.
There could be other teams interested as well. Nobody is going to pick McGee up off waivers — they would take on his $11.7 million contract the Mavericks gave him — but teams can reach out to sign him as a free agent once he clears waivers. McGee will get the minimum and will have to push to get a fully guaranteed deal at this point in his career.