Sports
NBA Rumors: Mavs' JaVale McGee to Be Waived by Aug. 31 If DAL Can't Find Trade – Bleacher Report
The Dallas Mavericks reportedly will stretch and waive JaVale McGee’s pact by the Aug. 31 deadline, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium and NBA reporter Marc Stein, “barring an unforeseen trade that requires the inclusion of McGee’s contract.”
Charania added the Mavericks are then expected to re-sign veteran forward Markieff Morris.
The waive-and-stretch provision allows teams to spread out the guaranteed money owed to a player by twice the length of their current contract plus one additional season.
As Keith Smith of Spotrac broke down, McGee is owed $11.7 million in total over the next two seasons—which will include his 2024-25 player option being exercised—so the Mavericks will stretch that to five years and owe him $2.3 million per season during the duration.
McGee, 35, appeared in just 42 games (seven starts) for the Mavericks in the 2022-23 season, averaging 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest. Dwight Powell and Christian Wood handled the majority of the center minutes last season, while Powell and free-agent addition Richaun Holmes are expected to serve as the primary centers this upcoming campaign.
It’s unclear if McGee will have much of a market at this point. If he doesn’t, he’ll at least have his paycheck covered for the next five years.
Morris, 33, split time between the Brooklyn Nets (27 games) and Mavericks (eight games) in the 2022-23 campaign, averaging 3.8 points and two rebounds per contest overall. He joined Dallas in the trade that brought superstar Kyrie Irving to the Lone Star State.
He’ll likely fight for a spot on the end of the team’s bench, with Grant Williams and Maxi Kleber expected to handle most of the minutes at the 4.