Mavs’ New Big Men Wood & McGee Share Same Goal: ‘Bring Championship to Dallas’

JaVale McGee will start the season as the Dallas Mavericks’ starting center, while Christian Wood comes off the bench in a sixth-man role. Although that could change later on, both players have the same overall goal in mind.

With the season set to begin for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night in Phoenix, their big-man situation looks a lot healthier than it did five months ago when they were booted from the Western Conference Finals by the Golden State Warriors.

Although many assumed Christian Wood would become the Mavs’ starting center after he was acquired from the Houston Rockets in June, the starting gig was promised to JaVale McGee two weeks later in order for Dallas to win the bidding for him against other contenders in free agency.

Whether McGee or Wood starts throughout the season — it could alternate given how fluid coach Jason Kidd can be with lineups at the beginning of a season — Wood, who is eight years younger than McGee, should still receive the majority of Dallas’ center minutes. Regardless, both players have the same overall goal in mind, and that bodes well for the Mavs going forward.

“I have a different mindset as a three-time NBA champion, one-time Olympic gold medalist,” said McGee at the Mavs’ annual Toast to Tipoff event on Sunday.

“I just have a winning mindset. All I want to do is win. That’s all I want to do. I don’t care about anything else. I want to help my team win and do what I can do and bring a championship to Dallas.”

Wood, who previously said his main objective was to get Dallas to the NBA Finals, echoed McGee’s mindset.

“That’s what we stand by, that’s what these guys stand by, and we’re going to live by that all season,” said Wood about winning above all else being the biggest goal.

“I love Dallas so far. I’ve even been to three restaurants and ate free at all three of them, so thank you. Everyone has treated me so well.”

In preseason play, Wood averaged 17 points and eight rebounds in just 22 minutes per game while shooting 53 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep. McGee averaged six points, four rebounds in 12 minutes per game while shooting 67 percent from the field.

The Mavs still have to figure out their third ballhandler situation this season after losing Jalen Brunson. Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie will be capable of taking on the majority of those point guard minutes, but one more “table-setter,” so to speak, needs to emerge, whether it’s rookie Jaden Hardy, third-year man Josh Green, newly signed Facu Campazzo or another player added by trade or buyout down the line.

As for the Mavs’ big-man situation, though, they should be set … for now at least. Wood and McGee are saying all the right things so far. Let’s see if it will translate to on-court success.

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