Heading into free agency, it was hard to forecast what type of market there would be for center JaVale McGee. The big man had a bit of a renaissance and, obviously, became an NBA Champion with the Warriors this season after several years of bouncing around from team to team.
But now it’s July 17 and McGee remains unsigned. The Golden State Warriors have one roster spot remaining, but a report from Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group indicates that McGee is “not happy” with how the Warriors have handled his situation in free agency.
According to Thompson –
“One source said he is not happy with the Warriors for not giving him a shot at the starting slot and giving all of the mid-level to free agent guard Nick Young. McGee believed his play this season earned him more minutes and money, and is looking for that on the market.”
The Warriors gave their entire mid-level exception – $5.2 million – to sign sharpshooter Nick Young, who averaged 13.2 points per game for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
McGee turned his career around with the Warriors last season. The 29-year-old averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds over the course of the season, although his impact goes farther than the stat line. McGee’s energy was infectious to the fans at Oracle Arena and helped swing the momentum in a number of games. He entered the season as a “Shaqtin’ a Fool” highlight machine, but proved to be a valuable contributor to the NBA champions.
There have been reports that McGee has met with the Clippers as well as the Kings. It’s unknown what kind of offers may or may not be on the table from the Clippers, Kings, or any other team around the league. The Warriors won’t be able to offer him any more than the veteran’s minimum, which is around $2 million.
