JaVale McGee to the Boston Celtics?
He wouldn’t. Not with him ostensibly negotiating a buyout with the Philadelphia 76ers just so he could play on a postseason-bound team.
And they wouldn’t. Not with McGee’s track record, a resume rife with injuries, conditioning issues, inconsistent play and, at times, apparent mental lapses.
Well, McGee would. And the Celtics would.
So they are.
Per ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman:
Boston Celtics close to signing enigmatic big man JaVale McGee, multiple sources told ESPN. Deal with be through next season.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 5, 2015
Celtics president Danny Ainge confirmed the news, albeit reluctantly:
Danny Ainge on @Toucherandrich confirms McGee signing is coming: I probably shouldn’t touch on that yet, but that report is accurate.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) March 5, 2015
No, the Celtics aren’t a playoff team. They’re chasing one of the Eastern Conference’s final two playoff spots, so there’s a chance they become one, but they aren’t the surefire postseason squad that was supposed to nab McGee. He needs to play deep into the spring, just so he could showcase whatever he’s capable of doing these days.
But the Celtics pose an interesting fit. They have McGee under lock and key through next season, no clear shot-blocking long-term solution at the center position and a reputation, albeit a brief one, for turning on-court headaches into productive rotation fixtures under Brad Stevens.
Ahem:
Then again, Brad Stevens has helped make Jordan Crawford and Evan Turner look good again in last 2 years. Could McGee be next?
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) March 5, 2015
Even Marcus Thornton resembled someone with a partial offensive conscience while playing in Boston. Shit, Rajon Rondo had nothing but flattering things to say about Stevens, and we all know how difficult he is to please outside the Connect Four kingdom.
This is a nice chance for McGee to soak up minutes and play for a coach that has guided a rebuilding team into the East’s playoff race. Injuries—specifically those to Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger—even render McGee something of a necessity at this point, with the frontcourt thin on able bodies.
Now, McGee has appeared in just 28 games since 2012-13, so he’s seldom played and hasn’t performed well when he does. He’s also incredibly raw on the offensive end, a solid alley-oop partner that has no range, no post presence and no touch from the foul line.
Defensively, he can be a nightmare. He’s not a cerebral player, and he’s wont to chase blocks, many of which he blows with poor reads and even worse reactions.
Still, the Celtics organization isn’t stupid. When they take risks, they’re calculated. At full strength, McGee still projects as an explosive roller and adequate paint-policer, both of which the Celtics don’t really have. He isn’t going to shift the playoff race in their favor on his own, but as we saw in 2012-13, when he played under George Karl, he can be part of something special.
And if all else fails, well, there’s still his wicked-awkward facial expressions, long-armed dunks and unavoidable lapses in judgment that make for comedic relief.
JaVale McGee’s time in Boston, whatever it holds, is going to be fun.
