Free agency can be a chaotic period for many out-of-contract NBA players as they scour their options and decide on just what to do next in their careers. For JaVale McGee, he once again became a free agent in August, and there is a unique reason for his decision to sign with the Phoenix Suns.

McGee put pen to paper on a one-year deal worth $5 million with the Suns over the opening week of the free agency period. The three-time NBA champion reportedly had several suitors for him, but in the end, the 2021 NBA Finals duel between the Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks played an unlikely role in his final decision to join the reigning Western Conference champions.

As he noted on the “Burns and Gambo” show on Arizona Sports 98.7, McGee was in attendance for the Suns’ Game 2 win over the Bucks and when watching the tightly contested game, he simply viewed himself as a formidable fit with the team.

“I definitely felt like that backup center position could have been a lot stronger to where at least Deandre [Ayton] got into foul trouble, there was another big body in there to contest the rim and protect it,” McGee said. “I definitely was watching the games and was looking at the way Chris Paul was threading the needle and getting in there and just feeding the big man.

“And I was like ‘Yeah, there’s a lot of opportunities for me on this team.'”

As many are expecting Phoenix to regress following its run to the NBA Finals last season, McGee does not believe this will come to fruition, especially as he sees characteristics of a championship-winning team in this group of young talents.

“And I feel like that piece of confidence in all of these young guys is going to grow and grow and grow, because most of the guys are extremely young,” McGee said. “So you’re like, ‘Oh, wow, they’re making it to the Finals at this young age? They’re getting it at this young age?’

“And I was talking to Chris, and he was saying how much the team works. And that’s the main thing I’ve always seen in these championship teams is who works? Who’s willing to be in the gym before, who’s willing to be in the gym after and really lock in?”

McGee has won three titles in his NBA career, and he sure has room for one more ring in his trophy cabinet.