JaVale McGee Is Not Your Ordinary 15th Man
Throughout the offseason, the top story for the Golden State Warriors was acquisition of Kevin Durant. This made them instant favorites to win their second championship in three years. The addition of Durant has made many pundits call the Warriors a “super team” and called it bad for basketball.
One addition that may have went under the radar was signing of JaVale McGee. The Warriors signed him to a non-guaranteed contract in late July and made him their 15th man on Thursday. McGee is not your ordinary 15th man as he has been a main contributor throughout his career. The move still comes with some questions.
The move was puzzling to experts because for the last few seasons, McGee has been the laughing stock of the NBA. Most fans do not remember an up-and-coming star in Washington and Denver. Rather, they see the two-time Shaqtin’ A Fool MVP.
So when the Warriors signed McGee, it shocked everyone due to the notion that McGee has a low basketball IQ. The Warriors are known for acquiring smart players but they had just lost their starting center and rim protector, Andrew Bogut. It left a hole in the roster.
McGee looks like the perfect addition because the Warriors did not have much money to offer and he has upside. McGee is still only 28 years old and most players do not hit their primes until their late twenties. There was also the thought that McGee would thrive in the Warriors’ system because the talent around him would allow him to focus on protecting the rim, grabbing boards and flushing the occasional alley-oop.
McGee will probably not help much on offense due to their ridiculous firepower and his raw offensive ability. So most of his talents will be used on the defensive end and who’s a better teacher than Assistant Coach, Ron Adams? The simple answer is no one.
If McGee listens to Adams, there is no reason why he can not become a great shot blocker and rim protector. You may even see a guy that does not try to spike every block five rows deep in the crowd or jump off the screen on a pump fake. If McGee can achieve this, it would not be surprising that you see him in the starting five by midseason.
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Current starting center, Zaza Pachulia is a much better offensive player. He does not nearly have the athleticism or defensive prowess that McGee shows on a nightly basis. The Warriors may not need an offensive center, especially if teams are exploiting the Warriors in the paint on the defensive end.
If McGee plays with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Durant on a regular basis, he should have plenty of opportunities on alley oops and offensive putbacks. On defense, he would fill Bogut’s role, making the Warriors that much better. Not bad for the 15th man on the roster, another possible gem added to the Warriors’ roster.