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JaVale McGee on Free Agency: 'Hopefully' I'm with Warriors for Rest of My Career

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJune 26, 2018

Golden State Warriors center JaVale McGee (1) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Denver. The Nuggets won 115-108. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
David Zalubowski/Associated Press

JaVale McGee has become a useful role player for the Golden State Warriors, so it comes as little surprise the 30-year-old center wants to remain in the Bay Area this summer as he approaches free agency.

"I haven't thought about [another team] mainly because, hopefully, in my mind, I'm a Warrior for the rest of my career," McGee said, per ESPN.com's Chris Haynes. "If that happens, it would be a blessing."

Over the past two years, McGee has averaged 9.5 minutes per game for the Warriors, but Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has found a way to maximize his impact when he's on the court. McGee put up 27.8 points, 14.7 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per 100 possessions with Golden State, according to Basketball Reference.

Especially with Zaza Pachulia out of contract this summer, re-signing McGee seems like the sensible move for Golden State. He's happy to remain a role player, and he fills a void in the team's frontcourt.

McGee could assume Pachulia's job as the starting center, or he could be a traditional big man off the bench should the Warriors want to go really small and move Jordan Bell into the lineup alongside forwards Kevin Durant and Draymond Green.

Whether or not they keep McGee won't change much for the two-time defending champions, but maintaining as much continuity as possible won't hurt as Golden State looks for a third straight NBA title in 2019.