JaVale McGee spent most of his early NBA career as the butt of a lot of jokes. The application of his skills never quite seemed to match the tantalizing potential of his long, athletic frame. McGee struggled with his feel for the game, frequently making head-scratching decisions and often attempting feats that were overly ambitious.
He was a frequent victim of Shaquille O’Neal, who made making fun of McGee a part of his brand. An unfortunate reputation followed, and the spry young big man became a media punching bag for years. As expectations for McGee faded so too did the spotlight on him, and eventually he settled into a more appropriate role as a journeyman backup big man.
McGee had his first real taste of success when he joined the Golden State Warriors in 2016. He tailored his game to fit the needs of the team, eliminating some of the silliness he’d been known for and focusing instead on protecting the rim and not trying to do anything that wasn’t dunking or taking a layup on offense.
McGee’s role on the Warriors wasn’t glamorous, but it was useful. He won two titles in his two years in Golden State as a low-usage, low-minutes bench option. McGee replicated that success serving a similar function with the Los Angeles Lakers and claiming a third title in 2020.
No one of sound mind would suggest that McGee was an irreplaceable piece of any of the teams he helped win championships, but the fact he turned himself into a reliable end-of-the-bench type player (or a reliable player of any kind really) was unexpected to play the least. A brief pit stop in Cleveland last year suggests it’s reflective of a level of self-awareness that has typically been considered to be dearly lacking.
McGee played a reckless, free form style of basketball with the Cavs. It was a little like basketball on drugs. He led the break in transition, attempted dribble moves he’d never unleashed before, and even launched a number of threes he had no business taking. The lack of expectations in Cleveland seemed to unlock the warts that soured McGee’s game in his youth.
Perhaps he deserves admonishment for that, but what’s wrong with exploring the studio space a bit when you know your team is going to be terrible?
Now just one year later McGee has re-transformed into the championship-caliber role player he proved to be with the Warriors and Lakers, as the primary backup to Deandre Ayton in Phoenix. The Suns have been destroying opponents in McGee’s minutes on the court, outscoring teams by 13.5 points per 100 non-garbage-time possessions, per Cleaning the Glass.
He’s developed a nice pick-and-roll chemistry with Cameron Payne, and has been a monster protecting the basket. Opponents are shooting just 57.4 percent at the rim with McGee on the court, ranking in the 94th percentile league-wide, per Cleaning the Glass.
It’s not crazy to say that McGee - at nearly 34 years of age and in his 14th year in the league - is having the best season of his career. He’s averaging a career high in points per 36 minutes, rebounds per 36 minutes, and true shooting percentage.
McGee’s playing time on contenders has consistently reduced as the postseason rolls on and the stakes of games increase. He didn’t even play a single minute in the Finals during the Lakers championship run. That could happen again with the Suns, but if he continues to perform at the level he’s established in the early season, Phoenix may have no choice but to include him more prominently.
McGee provides legitimate size and defensive ability that the Suns haven’t had on their roster, aside from Ayton, since developing into real contenders. He’s slotted himself into a role that suits his ability and the needs of his team. It’s a formula that’s worked in the past, and one that has McGee in the running for a fourth ring.