JaVale McGee, a three-time NBA champion and former Dallas Mavericks center, is headed to Australia. The Illawarra Hawks announced Friday that they’ve signed McGee to a one-year deal ahead of the 2025–26 NBL season.

“Adding JaVale McGee to our program is a game-changer,” Hawks general manager Mat Campbell said. “His leadership, athleticism, and championship mentality will elevate our group and energise the Illawarra community. The signing of JaVale reinforces the club’s commitment to sustained success and global recognition.”

The veteran big man, who won titles with the Golden State Warriors (2017, 2018) and Los Angeles Lakers (2020), joins the reigning NBL champions in what the franchise calls a “game-changing” addition.

“JaVale’s experience and competitive drive align perfectly with our culture of excellence,” Hawks head coach Justin Tatum said. “We’re excited to integrate him into our rotation and see him as a key contributor right away.”

Dallas Mavericks Are Still Paying JaVale McGee

The Mavericks still feel the financial impact of his brief second stint with the franchise. McGee played for Dallas on two occasions. His first stint came during the 2015–16 season under head coach Rick Carlisle. He returned in 2022 as the first free-agent signing under general manager Nico Harrison, who used the team’s taxpayer mid-level exception to secure McGee on a three-year contract worth $17.2 million, including a final year player option.

Despite beginning the 2022-23 season as a starter, McGee struggled to carve out a consistent role. He appeared in 42 games during the 2022–23 season before being waived in August 2023 using the stretch provision—just one year into the deal.

Despite his release, the Mavericks remain responsible for McGee’s salary. They will continue to pay him more than $2.2 million annually through the 2027–28 season due to the structure of the stretch provision.

While it may not seem substantial, paying out dead money still counts against the salary cap, which matters when teams try navigating the luxury tax. It can become a problem in situations like the Mavericks faced last season. After trading Quentin Grimes for Caleb Martin, Dallas became hard-capped with 14 players signed to standard deals as injuries piled up. Had the team not paid McGee not to play basketball, there’d have been more room to sign a 15th player.

Return to Professional Basketball

Since leaving Dallas, McGee played for the Sacramento Kings in 2023–24, averaging 4.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks in 46 appearances. He has not played professionally since a brief stint in Puerto Rico with Vaqueros de Bayamón in the BSN.

McGee, who turns 38 in January, brings nearly 1,000 games of NBA experience to Illawarra and becomes one of the highest-profile international additions in recent NBL memory.

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