Minnesota Timberwolves: Bargain Basement Bigs – X: JaVale McGee

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a big problem.  No, I’m not saying that their problem is huge. Rather, the Timberwolves have a problem finding complementary big players to take over for Karl Anthony Towns when he needs to take a rest.

And so, one of the first items in new President Tim Connelly’s in-basket is reinforcing the Minnesota Timberwolves frontcourt roster. Or, as we are terming it in this series? Minnesota Timberwolves: Bargain Basement Bigs. And the tenth potential free-agent target for the TWolves is Phoenix Suns’ center, JaVale McGee.

Option X: JaVale McGee is an NBA free agent who is emerging from one season with the Phoenix Suns where he played on a one-year $5 million deal. Standing 7-foot-0 and weighing a solid 270-pounds, this 14-year veteran has seen his share of NBA play.  So the first question is: Can he still play meaningful basketball?

While he is the oldest veteran among our free agency targets, he can still put up enough quality minutes to be an asset on the team.  McGee can bang the boards for rebounds, he can still get up for blocks, and he can still put up points, albeit from the paint and not the perimeter.

Still, that all checks the boxes for the Timberwolves. He has an excellent shot from the floor, delivers great work on the boards, can divert the lanes of backcourt players attempting to drive to the basket, and can even hold his own offensively when KAT needs rest periods.

But can he hold his own on the basketball court in postseason play? His latest stats with the Suns resulted in an ORtg at 118 and a DRtg at 102 in the regular season. But come time to compete in the NBA Playoffs, his ORtg skyrocketed to 132 while his DRtg remained a respectable 112. He’s a viable option.