Patrick McCaw got his wish.
The young wing thought he deserved a more substantial role (and more money) in Golden State, despite the fact his shooting regressed last season, plus he missed time with a broken wrist and a scary late-season fall. The Warriors had an offer sheet on the table for the restricted free agent, but they also have Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, plus Andre Iguodala and Alfonzo McKinnie behind them, minutes were going to be limited. McCaw wanted out, and on the advice of his father — that always goes well — he has held out.
Cleveland is going to give him a chance, giving McCaw a two-year, $6 million offer sheet, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and since confirmed by multiple others.
Golden State restricted agent Patrick McCaw is signing an offer sheet with Cleveland today, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 28, 2018
Offer sheet: two years, $6M. https://t.co/YrsvYACmKU
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 28, 2018
Sources: McCaw’s two year, $6M deal is non-guaranteed. Warriors can match and keep him, or waive him by January 7. For McCaw, it gets him to freedom of unrestricted free agency and out of constraints of restricted. https://t.co/YrsvYACmKU
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 28, 2018
The Warriors have said previously they would match an offer, but that’s always what teams say trying to scare away bidders.
But will they? First off, this would cost the Warriors a lot of money because they are in the tax.
Matching the Patrick McCaw offer sheet would see the Golden St. tax bill increase from $50.3M to $61.6M.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 28, 2018
McCaw made it clear he doesn’t want to be a Warrior. Also, this would take up the Warriors 15th roster spot, something they want to keep open for flexibility, maybe to add another center (DeMarcus Cousins likely returns in January, but that remains an unknown).
McCaw averaged 4 points a game in nearly 17 minutes a night last season, shooting 23.8 percent from three and a true shooting percentage of 47.7 (well below the league average) and a PER of 7.6, the kind of number that suggests time in the G-League is due.
Maybe he looks better with a little more run in Cleveland (a struggling team looking for young players), but he has a lot of work to do. If he even gets there.
