Should the Golden State Warriors Sign JaVale McGee?

By Maggie Pilloton | Mar 4, 2015

The Golden State Warriors didn’t make a move at the trade deadline, but there is always the possibility of them signing a waived player or free agent to add even more depth to their roster in time for the playoffs.

One free agent that the Warriors have been linked to in rumors is center JaVale McGee, who recently became a free agent as he was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. The 76ers had acquired McGee a couple weeks ago at the trade deadline from the Denver Nuggets.

Source: Golden State has major interest in signing JaVale McGee. He's viewed as potential insurance for Andrew Bogut
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) March 3, 2015

As Chris Broussard of ESPN alluded to, McGee would provide some insurance to the Warriors if Andrew Bogut, who is often referred to as “injury-plagued,” is unable to play at the end of the season or in the postseason. McGee could also provide insurance if backup center Festus Ezeli got injured again.

Monte Poole of Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area reported Tuesday that a Warriors’ source declined to comment on the Warriors’ interest in McGee, which Poole believes suggests that the situation is still “fluid.”

McGee, a seven-footer, is currently in his seventh NBA season. He’s played for the Washington Wizards, Nuggets, and the 76ers. His best statistical season was during the 2011-12 season, when he averaged 11.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks on 53.5 percent shooting from the field in 27.4 minutes per game.

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McGee has shown promise at times, but he’s also failed to solidify a starting role in his NBA career.

So should the Warriors sign McGee?

The Warriors’ interest in McGee certainly makes sense, given Bogut’s, and even Ezeli’s, injury history. The Warriors have depth at the power forward position, but the Warriors could possibly use some insurance at the center position.

The Warriors signed James Michael McAdoo to add some extra depth at the power forward and center position, but McAdoo has extremely limited NBA experience and won’t see playing time in the playoffs because of that.

The Warriors should not sign McGee though. This might be a risk as the Warriors hope to make a strong playoff push, which will be dependent on the health of Bogut and other players. However, there are a few reasons why signing McGee is not the right choice for the Warriors.

First of all, if the Warriors were to decide that they needed to sign a free agent center, they should sign a more experienced, veteran center who has plenty of playoff experience. McGee has just 13 games of playoff experience, which came during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 season with the Nuggets.

A center that would’ve been ideal would’ve been former Warrior Jermaine O’Neal. However, he has decided not to come back and play in the NBA, at least for now. The only problem though is that there aren’t many options on the free agent market right now for centers, especially ones with significant playoff experience.

However, McGee is still not the right fit for the Warriors. One of the Warriors’ best traits is their team chemistry. The Warriors’ team chemistry, on and off the court, is arguably the best in the NBA, and team chemistry is incredibly underrated when it comes to assessing championship contenders.

Yes, Bogut and Ezeli have had trouble staying healthy in the past, but the Warriors have earned a 46-12 record even with these two “injury-plagued” centers. Their record can at least partially be attributed to their NBA-best chemistry, and having McGee, who would not even be an ideal backup center, on the roster is not worth potentially disrupting that chemistry or at least changing the dynamic of the team.

In Poole’s report that was mentioned earlier, he discusses McGee’s “mindlessness.” That is a trait that certainly wouldn’t fit in on this Warriors team, on and off the court.

The Warriors have one of the best records in the NBA and have a chance at securing the number one overall seed, in the entire NBA, during the playoffs. They can make a deep playoff run without McGee. In fact, signing McGee might even slow them down and become a hindrance to their impressive team chemistry.

Next: Why Andrew Bogut is Crucial to the Warriors in the Playoffs

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