Warriors center JaVale McGee is well-schooled on the business side of the NBA. During his 10 years in the league, he has been waived and traded twice, at one point accepting a nonguaranteed training-camp invite to keep his career alive.

Over the past eight weeks, as his name was mentioned in a steady drumbeat of trade rumblings, McGee focused on what he could control. Instead of dwelling on his infrequent playing time, he stayed late after practice for games of 3-on-3, worked on defending guards and forwards, and trusted that his professionalism would be rewarded with more minutes.

Now, after not getting moved at the trade deadline, McGee is showing that he remains the instant-energy big man who became a fan favorite last season. In Saturday night’s 122-105 win over San Antonio, he needed only seven minutes to post seven points, three rebounds and a block, providing a spark off the bench.

Late in the third quarter, after boxing out forward LaMarcus Aldridge to free up Stephen Curry for a defensive rebound, McGee raced downcourt, caught a lob from Curry mid-stride and tossed in the layup. It was a nine-second sequence that reinforced the idea that, even as the NBA trends toward smaller, more versatile lineups, the 7-foot, 270-pounder still can be an asset.

“Just big energy, that’s what JaVale does,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “He brings that speed and energy. He was anticipating plays, got a couple of blocks, ran the floor hard and the crowd loves him here. He brought a lot of juice tonight.”

For much of the season, McGee’s shaky perimeter defense overshadowed his penchant for throwing down alley-oops and swatting shots. His average of eight minutes per game is a career low. During a 19-game span from late December to late January, McGee logged 12 DNPs and topped the seven-minute mark only twice.

As teams put more emphasis on a position-less style of basketball, his skill-set is becoming more niche than necessity. Kerr suddenly doesn’t have room in the regular rotation for two traditional centers, and he prefers 6-11 Zaza Pachulia, a master at freeing up shooters for open looks with his textbook screens.

However, McGee intrigued teams in need of another old-school big man. The Chronicle confirmed in late December that Golden State was open to trading him. The Athletic reported that Milwaukee, which counts center as the weak point of a lineup that boasts Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe, had discussed trading for McGee.

Such speculation was nothing new for a player who has been on five teams in a decade. Though he was realistic about the fact that he could be on the move again, McGee was open about wanting to stick with the Warriors.

With Golden State, he has shed his reputation as one of the league’s biggest punch lines and become an NBA champion. His goofy antics, long fuel for those quick to label him a knucklehead, are appreciated on a team that prizes a light mood in the locker room.

McGee hosts a YouTube series called “Parking Lot Chronicles,” which features him interviewing celebrities and teammates after games in the players’ lot outside Oracle Arena. That Kerr and general manager Bob Myers signed off on the idea this season underscored to McGee that he finally had found a place willing to let him be himself.

“I’m the happiest I’ve been, by far,” McGee said. “They don’t sweat the little things here. Other organizations, unfortunately, they sweat little things. Here, they just know how to do it. It’s a players’ league, and this team really focuses on that. It’s a players’ team.”

When he was anchored to the Warriors’ bench, McGee made a point to stay in shape. After games in which he didn’t play, while teammates showered and changed, he ran a mile on the treadmill. McGee often recruited other bench players to play pickup after practice.

With forwards Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell sidelined for Golden State’s blowout loss at Utah on Jan. 30, McGee posted a season-high 14 points on 7-for-8 shooting, four rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes. Three days later, while speaking to reporters about the upcoming trade deadline, Myers cited that performance as an example of why the Warriors weren’t necessarily trying to deal McGee.

Now, with guards Joe Johnson and Marco Belinelli — two players Golden State reportedly was interested in adding in the buyout market — heading elsewhere, McGee appears poised to stay with the Warriors through the playoffs. If Golden State needs to clear a roster spot to sign someone, it might be more apt to waive forward Omri Casspi, who has fallen out of the rotation in recent weeks.

“He’s one of those guys where he’s doing his job, he’s professional, he’s in the gym, been working,” center David West said of McGee. “He’s just ready to go when his number’s called, so I don’t think he let the trade deadline bother him.”

Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Con_Chron

Monday’s game

Who: Phoenix (18-39) at

Warriors (43-13)

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: NBCSBA/95.7