3 Cleveland Cavaliers gifts that will keep on giving in 2020-21

Cavs gift #3: JaVale McGee’s presence as a solid reserve and his leadership

JaVale McGee is a player that reportedly missed a good chunk of Cavs camp and only appeared in one preseason game of the four, but he should be just fine in a reserve 5 role as Drummond’s primary backup.

McGee is not a guy that’s going to be a key on-ball offensive player when he’s in there for Cleveland, albeit he’ll be a productive screener, both on and off-ball. The same should go for him as a lob threat/roller.

Last season, granted, LeBron James’ playmaking had some to do with it, but McGee did place in the 83rd percentile in rolling scoring, per Synergy Sports. I could see lobs to McGee from the likes of Garland, Porter and Matthew Dellavedova, for example, as being a gift that also keeps on giving for the Cavs.

The Cavaliers should know just what they have in McGee, who has always been an active big in terms of being able to run rim-to-rim and finish above the rim/through contact, too. And he’s a very active offensive rebounder as well, as evidenced by an offensive rebounding clip of 12.1 percent lifetime, including on of 12.8 percent with L.A. last season.

McGee, while we know he’ll generate his share of whistles (4.5 career fouls per-36 minutes), should have his share of rejections/shot alterations, too; he had 3.0 blocks per-36 and has 3.2 per-36 lifetime.

The 7-footer does a nice job of utilizing his 7-foot-6 wingspan to deter drivers/make plays on shots near the rim a fair amount when he’s in there, and that should help Cleveland’s team defense when he’s in the game for spurts/some stretches.

Lastly, McGee’s leadership as a three-time NBA champ should pay off for the Cavs this season.

The Athletic‘s Kelsey Russo detailed in a report (subscription required) how McGee, who was acquired via trade from the Lakers last month (to go with a 2026 second-round pick), seems fully bought-in and it’s evident that he’ll help lead the young guys. That element from him could very well be Matthew Dellavedova-esque, really, from a culture-building standpoint, too.

Anyway, to me, these aforementioned gifts should keep on giving for us Cavs fans throughout the 2020-21 season. We’ll eventually have to see if the 32-year-old McGee sticks around through the season, as he is set to be expiring, but he seemingly could from a depth/locker room perspective.

And again, with Friday being Christmas, we wish you all a Merry Christmas, for those that applies to, and Happy Holidays from all of us here at KJG!