Dwight Howard Claims Knicks Will Win a Championship if They Add JaVale McGee

Last week, the Knicks pulled off one of the biggest moves of the offseason by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from the Timberwolves. The arrival of the four-time All-Star in New York has turned the team into a serious title contender. However, Dwight Howard believes they need a veteran with a championship pedigree like his former teammate JaVale McGee

On the latest episode of the Above The Rim Podcast with DH12, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year lauded the Knicks for building a stellar young core. However, he claimed that lacked a player like McGee, who has been on title-winning teams and can help the roster navigate the challenges that come with chasing a championship. Howard said,

“They’re always looking for younger players or whatever, but it’s certain things that a player like me can bring to a team that you can’t get in one of these young guys”. 

If the Knicks add Javale they winning a chip he a 3X champion ‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/aNzXQCD0zD

— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) October 2, 2024

McGee won three championships in four seasons between 2016 and 2020 with the two different franchises. He won back-to-back titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018 before joining the Lakers and adding a third title to his resume in the NBA Bubble in 2020.

Howard, who was part of that Lakers title-winning team, isn’t vouching for his former teammate solely due to his admiration for him, but also due to the Knicks’ woes at the center position.

JaVale McGee could fill a major hole on the Knicks roster

The addition of Towns and Mikal Bridges were massive coups for the Knicks. However, the team is still facing a crisis at the center position. With Mitchell Robinson expected to be out until December at best, they’d be forced to play their latest acquisition at center. However, they can avoid that by signing McGee. 

The veteran center can be a solid backup option for New York and can even start a few games if needed. He has won championships in both roles and is well-versed with what the Knicks would need from him.

There are no suggestions that the team are interested in adding a center. However, if they were, a cost-effective option like McGee could be the way to go.