FA: JaVale McGee 3yrs/$17.2M to DAL | will indeed start at center

[SleepingHero]

He is not. Howard was ahead of him in the Lakers rotation and his role this season was comparable to the mentioned guys.

Howard was not ahead of him in the Lakers rotation in 2020, their championship season. 

McGee started 68/68 regular season games @16.6 mpg. Howard played 69 regular season games and only started 2 @18.9mpg. 

In the playoffs, Howard played 15mpg, and started in 7 games. McGee played 10mpg and started 11 games. 

If anything Lakers used them interchangeably, but used McGee as the starting big almost every time in small minutes.

Now today in 2022? McGee is undoubtedly better than Howard (*and conveniently the other 2 guys you left out in Whiteside/Drummond). 

McGee was out of this world efficient posting 9ppg and 7rpg in 15mpg. Howard was 6ppg and 6rpg in 16mpg. Powell was 9ppg and 5rpg in 21mpg.

I understand we're going through the stages of grief over losing Brunson and nothing the Mavs do is correct, but the McGee signing at 5mil is a value signing, and exactly what this team needed. McGee does the job of Powell better, and at half the cost. 

I for one am like Dan and have already prepped myself for Brunson leaving, and the Knicks giving him 26 mil a year makes that a WHOLE lot easier. Sooner we all realize that Brunson wasn't integral to this team success, the quicker we can see that the Mavs actually made some solid moves so far.