JaVale McGee, a free agent center, expresses his desire to stay with the Golden State Warriors and has no plans to leave the Bay Area as he heads towards free agency, as reported by ESPN. McGee mentioned to ESPN, “I haven’t considered [joining another team] because, ideally, I envision myself as a Warrior for the entirety of my career. If that comes to fruition, it would be a great blessing.”
Initially seeing limited playing time earlier this season, McGee saw increased minutes as the season progressed.
Over the past two seasons, McGee has been averaging 9.5 minutes per game for the Warriors. Head coach Steve Kerr found a way to incorporate him into the starting lineup in place of Zaza Pachulia, especially when the team was struggling to meet its usual standards.
Kerr retained McGee as the starting center in the opening playoff round against the San Antonio Spurs but made adjustments in the subsequent rounds. In the Finals, after surviving Game 1, Kerr turned back to McGee.
Despite earning $1.4 million on a minimum contract this past season, McGee vividly recalls the moment he realized he wanted to make the Bay Area his long-term home.
Sharing his thoughts, McGee stated, “During this year’s Finals. The camaraderie among all of us, especially the starting five. The chemistry we exhibited when I was on the court speaks for itself. We swept ’em. It was a beautiful experience, and everything just clicked. It was incredibly enjoyable. I aim to keep that going.”
Now, with Pachulia’s contract expiring, re-signing McGee seems like a logical move for the Warriors.
