The Golden State Warriors have reportedly invited free agent center JaVale McGee to their training camp this summer as the team seeks additional rim protection for next season.
Golden State lost centers Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, and Marreese Speights in separate transactions with the Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Clippers respectively this offseason, but had managed to sign Zaza Pachulia early last month to somehow fill-up the space in the number five position. However, Pachulia was never known as a shot blocker in his entire career, averaging only 0.4 blocks in 13 seasons.
Currently, the team's other option at center is Damian Jones, a rookie out of Vanderbilt and the 30th overall pick in last June's draft.
Even with the offseason signing of veteran power forward David West and the re-signing of Brazilian center Anderson Varejao, the Warriors are still short on shot blockers, which prompted them to find other options in the middle.
ESPN reported that the 28-year-old McGee, who played for Dallas last season and is entering his ninth season in the NBA, is intended to be signed by the Warriors to a "make-good contract for the chance to make their 15-man roster in October."
McGee had spent the past two seasons as journeyman, playing in only six games for Philadelphia in 2014-2015 before moving to Dallas last summer. He appeared in 34 games for head coach Rick Carlisle's squad, starting in two, and had averaged 5.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in only 10.9 minutes per game.
The former Nevada Wolf Pack standout had a 2.5 blocks per game average during his fourth season in the league in 2011-2012 when he was still playing with the Washington Wizards, but that average had been on a downward spiral since then.
McGee's last full season of health was back in 2012-2013. Since then he had been hounded by recurring leg injuries that made him play in only 62 games in the past four years.
While a lot of NBA pundits are surprised by the Warriors' interest in him, CBS Sports noted that McGee fits the bill for the kind of player Golden State lacks at the moment, which is "an athletic, rim-protecting center".
And since his impending contract will be non-guaranteed, there will be no risks for the Warriors as the team would simply waive him if the experiment does not work.
