Dallas Mavericks Release 3-Time NBA Champion

When he signed a three-year, $17.2M contract last summer with the Dallas Mavericks, the plan was for JaVale McGee to be the starting center. That experiment lasted all of seven games, and in 42 total appearances, McGee averaged just 8.5 minutes per game. Now, the Mavs have cut him loose altogether.

The Dallas Mavericks are planning to stretch-and-waive center JaVale McGee and re-sign F/C Markieff Morris on a deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Mavs must execute stretch-and-waive by next week.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 22, 2023

Dallas will "stretch-and-waive" the former 3-time NBA champion, in order to have the cap space to re-sign Markieff Morris, according to NBA Insider Shams Charania.

McGee is owed $11,741,621 on the two years left of his contract (after his 2024-25 player option was picked up). The Mavs will stretch that amount over five years at $2,348,324 per season.

The 7-footer has played 15 years in the NBA, and has three championship rings—two with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and another with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2020. Granted, his contributions were minimal on each of those title-winning teams' playoff runs, but he nevertheless was a valuable contributor for those 10 or so minutes a night that he played.

He'll now hit the free agent market for any team looking for a rim-protector for the end of their bench.

Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports