BREAKING: Mavs Cut JaVale McGee; What’s Next Move?

The Mavs are waiving JaVale McGee after just one season despite signing a three-year deal during last year's free agency.

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a disappointing 38-44 finish to the 2022-23 season despite an All-NBA First-Team season from Luka Doncic and acquiring Kyrie Irving midseason. The team has undergone a variety of different changes to reconfigure the team around the two superstars.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the next change the Mavs have made is to waive JaVale McGee after one season into his second stint with the organization. 

McGee was promised the Mavs’ starting center role last summer in order to help entice him to commit to sign with the team over alternative options. He signed a three-year, $17.2 million contract, including a final-year player option. The move was made using the team's taxpayer midlevel exception.

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It was reported earlier by Charania that Dallas intends to stretch-and-waive McGee and will use a roster spot to re-sign Markieff Morris. Doing so will reduce the dead cap hit that McGee carries for the 2023-24 season, but will result in paying out his guaranteed money for a longer duration.  

McGee quickly went from being the starter at the five to falling out of the rotation altogether for much of the remainder of the season. He averaged 4.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 8.5 minutes per game, appearing in just 42 contests.

After clearing waivers, McGee will reach free agency, making him available to sign with another team. The Mavs made a variety of changes at the center position already, including re-signing Dwight Powell, drafting Dereck Lively II, and trading for Richaun Holmes. 

The long-term goal for the Mavs at the center position is for Lively to develop into being an integral player. The 19-year-old will have to adjust to learning the team's scheme, but projects as having the necessary physical tools to play up-to-touch in ball screen coverage, along with being capable of switching and protecting the rim at a high level.