Patrick McCaw, the 38th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks but then traded to the Golden State Warriors, is more than likely to suit up with the Cleveland Cavaliers soon. Reports have come out that the 23-year-old guard has signed an offer sheet with the Cavs although it is a non-guaranteed deal.
McCaw is currently a restricted free agent with the Warriors but opted not to sign a contract. According to NBC Sports, he has signed a two-year $6 million offer sheet, something the Warriors can match if they choose to do so.
However, seeing how cash-strapped the Dubs are when one thinks about their salary budget, seeing the 6-foot-7 player moving to Ohio seems largely imminent. Golden State will have two days to match the Cavs offer per the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, Yahoo Sports said.
One scenario, if the Warriors opt to match the offer, is that they can waive McCaw by Jan. 7 since the deal is non-guaranteed. Unfortunately, all that seems to be a waste of effort - not to mention oblige the Dubs to pay McCaw's remaining salary.
Looking at his stint with Golden State the past two years, the former UNLV Runnin' Rebel hardly gained ground although he showed glimpses of promise. He was a key figure during his rookie year when the Warriors won the 2017 NBA title against, ironically, the Cavaliers.
Additionally, it seems McCaw has an estranged relationship with players and team officials over at Dub City. It wasn't clear what the actual problem is although it seems to stem from his holdout of signing a new pact. The 23-year-old declined a two-year $5.2 million offer before the 2018-19 NBA season, clearly indicating that he plans to play for some other team moving forward.
From hindsight, it is not hard to see why McCaw would decide to go that route. With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Shaun Livingston rotating the backcourt well, injecting him is possible but in limited time. Having been a member of the Dubs and already winning two NBA titles early in his tenure, McCaw may be looking to see how far he can go career-wise in the pro league.
The Cavs should be a good place to start all that. Cleveland is in rebuild mode and should he do well, he could see his career blossom in Ohio. Compared to Golden State, he will have more chances to show what he can really do on the hardwood with more playing time.
