JaVale McGee joins De'Aaron Fox on Sacramento Kings in hopes of winning his 4th NBA championship
The Sacramento Kings are adding another center to their roster, signing free agent JaVale McGee, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
The Kings are looking forward to capitalizing on their return to the postseason after 16 seasons of unfruitfulness.
McGee last played for the Dallas Mavericks, serving as the backup center for Christian Wood.
Last season, the three-time NBA champion suited up for only 42 games. He averaged 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds, which were his lowest averages since the 2014-15 season. His veteran presence and championship experience weren't enough for Dallas to make it to the playoffs.
With the Kings, he's hoping to help the young squad become contenders after finishing third in the Western Conference. They also had a stellar return to the postseason but were ousted by the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
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How can JaVale McGee help the Kings next season?
Among the active players in the league, JaVale McGee boasts incredible championship experience. He won back-to-back titles with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Although he wasn't able to post All-Star stats, the veteran center's presence inside the paint proved to be helpful for the team's defense.
He won his third with the LA Lakers in the 2019-20 season. Although fans may argue that the title isn't valid since it was the NBA bubble, McGee was still an important piece to their squad. With him on the floor, Anthony Davis was allowed to play the power forward position, where he's most effective.
Now, the Kings have an option to start McGee, allowing Domantas Sabonis to move to the power forward position. But that would move Keegan Murray as the small forward and Harrison Barnes to the bench.
Their other option is to play him with the second unit, which could mean that Alex Len and Nerlens Noel might fight for minutes.
Still, no matter where Mike Brown decides to put McGee, he'll be an effective defensive leader on the floor. He'll add depth and improve their interior defense, which is what they need next season.
Also read: "He did a lot of the coaching"- Former Lakers star JaVale McGee says LeBron James was the head coach of the 2020 Lakers team