Willie Cauley-Stein shares great story of where he was when Warriors called

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Willie Cauley-Stein wanted a fresh start, and he got it when the Warriors came calling.

But he almost didn't get the opportunity a number of players surely would love to have.

On Monday, the former Kings big man recalled the story of what he was doing when the Warriors were trying to get a hold of him and how the deal came ultimately together.

"I picked up fishing," Cauley-Stein told NBC Sports Bay Area's Warriors Outsiders. "I need to do something with this time, you know what I'm saying? Like, sitting here waiting was just brutal on my mental state. So, I started fishing.

"I got a call from my agent, I'm out in the boonies. They're like, 'Where you at? The Warriors are trying to call.' I'm like, 'Hold up! I'm on the lake and I ain't got no service.' So I had to drive two miles up the road so I could get service and take the call."

Cauley-Stein admitted at first he was holding out to see what other options might be available, but then he spoke with coach Steve Kerr.

"I talked to coach Kerr on the phone and he was just explaining to me how I would fit in, and I think in the middle of that call, I think (Kevon) Looney had signed. So I'm telling him, 'Yo, coach I'm in!.'"

But with Looney re-signing for three years and $15 millions, the original deal for Cauley-Stein no longer was on the table. The Kentucky product was hooked, though, and agreed to take the veteran's minimum.

"He called me back and was like, 'You know, I'm sorry. We took (Looney), he put a lot of work in,'" Cauley-Stein continued. "And that was like, so cool to me because it was like very, very professional. Getting that call back and hearing that they still wanted me, that's really what got me to take that pay cut and like come on man, let's do this."

Close call.

[RELATED: Warriors won't let anyone forget greatness of dynastic run]

Cauley-Stein now will look to reboot his career in the Bay alongside Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Co., and hit the open market next offseason looking for a bigger deal.

He might want to stay on his couch next time, though.

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