JaVale McGee has been a pro’s pro with Cavs this season

The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for JaVale McGee before the season in a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, to go with a future second-round pick.

In a backup 5 role, in spelling Andre Drummond for a good chunk of the campaign earlier on, he did a solid job, and at times since the arrival of Jarrett Allen via trade from the Brooklyn Nets, he’s given Cleveland some juice here and there.

Now, in relation to Drummond, his playing stint with the Cavs has concluded, last week, it was agreed between him/his representation and the Cavs that he’d be sitting in the duration of his time with them. Drummond has been a key subject of trade rumors this season, as an expiring player, though dealing him with his $28.7 million salary for this season won’t be a simple undertaking.

Albeit in regards to potential suitors/reported details as far as trade discussions between the Cavs and Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat, and others that have been linked to Drummond, you can view those here and also here.

In any case, though he’s also been a rumored trade candidate, with him expiring and on a team-friendly deal of $4.2 million, McGee, when he’s had opportunities, has been pretty solid for the most part overall.

Even while he’s had his share of DNP’s since the Allen acquisition (nine in total) regardless of what happens, I give him his credit, as I do for Drummond, whereas that was mostly before the Allen acquisition in his case.

Throughout the season, McGee has been a pro’s pro with the Cavs.

McGee has had some moments that have been head-scratching admittedly, and some of the rough turnovers from over-dribbling have been less than ideal from time to time. There have been some occasional three-point shots, of which I can’t say I’ve necessarily condoned, in that realm as well.

By and large, however, there’s been more good than bad with McGee in his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, and he’s undoubtedly given Cleveland energy in reserve minutes. That’s been whether that was earlier in spelling Drummond or of late with Allen taking over the starting 5 duties, and he’s clearly been a tremendous teammate, and a pro’s pro, really.

McGee’s had a respectable 7.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 15.1 minutes per game in 22 appearances, which has been more than fine from the now-33-year-old in my book. McGee has likely had a bit more freedom on-ball than would be ideally the case, but given the injury luck the Cavaliers have had this season, his occasional drives have led to some fairly easy interior looks that he’s hit.

JaVale has been a willing screener for the likes of Darius Garland, Collin Sexton and the likes of Cedi Osman and Damyean Dotson, for instance, too, and has been a meaningful roller/lob threat still, which has again, provided some energy in spurts. And for furthe context, on the season, McGee’s placed in the 86th percentile as a roll man scorer on a 15.0 percent frequency, per Synergy Sports.

On the defensive end, while he has definitely registered his share of fouls, as evidenced him having the second-highest per-36 minute fouling clip of his career (5.5), he has often aided other Cavs players with him by his shot altering. And the veteran has still had 2.6 blocks per-36, and a block rate of 6.6 percent, so in spurts, he’s been active and given outstanding effort on that end.

Moreover, even in a situation that has hardly been on a championship contender, and even more so with how McGee was a member of three title-winning teams in the past four seasons with the Golden State Warriors and Lakers, he’s been a pro’s pro with Cleveland.

McGee has provided energy minutes as a reserve 5 this season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he’s continually seemed to have been a model teammate and leadership, which has likely had an impact on Cleveland’s youngsters.

No matter what happens with him/whether or not he’s still a Cav through the March 25 trade deadline, I applaud JaVale for his efforts for the Wine and Gold this season. Watching him has honestly been a pleasure the majority of the time.