The Dallas Mavericks signed center JaVale McGee last month to address their issues at the position. Now, the seven-year veteran hopes to bounce back from injuries and help his new team win.
McGee was plagued by injuries in the past two seasons which only allowed him to play five games in the 2013–14 season and 23 games in the 2014–15 season.
Last season, he was also traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Philadelphia 76ers and, after playing in only six games, was waived.
Despite his health and on-court issues, the Mavericks still took the risk and signed him to a two-year minimum contract.
"I'm extremely excited to be here, and it's just a real positive experience. I'm glad to be here. ... All I'm looking forward to is winning and winning a championship," McGee said in an interview with Mavs.com.
McGee joins fellow centers Zaza Pachulia and Samuel Dalembert who were signed by the Mavericks this offseason.
Dallas was in need of centers early in the offseason after their attempts of signing Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in free agency drove away center Tyson Chandler, who later inked with the Phoenix Suns.
In his entire career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) playing for the Washington Wizards, Nuggets, and 76ers, McGee has an average of 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.
Between him, Pachulia, and Dalembert there will surely be competition which the 27-year-old said will be good for them.
McGee said in the interview, "Well, I definitely feel like we're different players, the centers that we have, so it's definitely going to be good competition. But that's what basketball is for, competition, so it's definitely going to make us all better."
The 2008 first-round pick also said one of the reasons he signed with the Mavericks is their training staff, whom he believes will help him with his injuries to return his athleticism.
Now with the Mavs, McGee just wants to keep things simple since that is what head coach Rick Carlisle wants, according to him, and play hard giving the team the inside presence it needs.
