7:44pm: McCaw has officially signed the offer sheet, according to a team press release.
10:44am: The Cavaliers’ offer sheet for McCaw is non-guaranteed, tweets Wojnarowski. Players who aren’t waived by January 7 will have their 2018/19 salaries fully guaranteed, so no matter which team he ends up with, McCaw will either have his first-year salary locked in at that point or will be waived, putting him on track for unrestricted free agency.
10:26am: After remaining on the free agent market for nearly six months, shooting guard Patrick McCaw is poised to sign an offer sheet with the Cavaliers, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). It will be a two-year deal worth $6MM, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Because McCaw is a restricted free agent, the Warriors will have the opportunity to match Cleveland’s offer. A report last week indicated that they were still prepared to match any offer sheet within reason, but this offer figures to give them pause, as McCaw has exhibited a desire to move on from Golden State, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The Dubs will have two days to make their decision once McCaw makes it official with the Cavs.
McCaw, who has been 2018’s last unsigned restricted free agent for several months, had a promising rookie season for Golden State in 2016/17, but took a step back last season. In 57 games (16.9 MPG), the former UNLV standout averaged 4.0 PPG on .409/.238/.765 shooting.
Despite his struggles in 2017/18, the Warriors issued McCaw a qualifying offer, then reportedly proposed a two-year, $5.2MM contract, with a non-guaranteed second year. Unsatisfied with that offer, McCaw has held out for nearly the entire first half of the regular season as he sought a deal with another team. Now, the Cavaliers have stepped up to become that team, with their offer sheet topping the money Golden State had put on the table.
The Cavs currently have the NBA’s worst record (8-27) and are in the process of stockpiling young talent after carrying a veteran-heavy roster in recent years. If the Warriors decline to match their offer for McCaw, they’ll be able to add him to a group of young players that includes Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman, Larry Nance, and Ante Zizic.
Because their offer sheet exceeds the minimum salary, the Cavs will have to dip into either the mid-level exception ($8.64MM) or bi-annual exception ($3.34MM). Both exceptions are fully available and would fit McCaw’s offer sheet. The deal would also leave Cleveland a little breathing room below the luxury tax threshold, since the club is currently about $3.93MM away from being a taxpayer, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
The Cavs currently have an open spot on their 15-man roster and won’t have to make a corresponding move if they land McCaw. The Warriors also have an opening on their roster, but may prefer to keep that spot available for increased flexibility. Matching McCaw’s offer sheet would also increase Golden State’s projected tax bill by more than $10MM, as Marks tweets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Well played sir. What’s the pro-rated for this current year?
There wouldn’t be any proration for this year, since it’s not a minimum salary deal and the exceptions (MLE, BAE, etc.) don’t start prorating until January 10. So he’d earn $3MM-ish for both years.
At this point it seems crazy any team other than the Cavs dysfunctional mess would want him, and that includes the W’s, imo. Hopefully, the W’s make him go through “a tryout” before they give him $6M+ to resign him. They also don’t need a psychologically afoul addition when the team is already kind of in a weird little spin.
Did he kick your dog or something? Seems kinda personal
Do you read
Can the Warriors make it like a sign and trade? Can GS call up CLE and say, “hey you can sign Patrick, but we want a draft pick. If you say no, we are gonna match.”
A few months ago, maybe, but the sign-and-trade deadline is the last day before the regular season so it’s no longer an option.
Wasn’t sure, but makes sense. Thanks Luke
Fantastic move by McCaw and the Cavs.
PM gets a chance to start in Cleveland, or at least a couple extra million guaranteed with GS.
Cleveland gets to take a cheap gamble on a young player while kicking some dirt on the Warriors.
McCaw sucks, and the Warriors just swept the Cavs out of the finals. I think they will get by.
Do the Cavs really want the player at this salary – ? An offer sheet that’s completely NG (signed a week before Jan 7th) must have a purpose – ?
I thought McCaw’s gamble on himself was looking pretty terrible, but he ended up doing well for himself to get a little extra money (although it’s non-guaranteed) and presumably more playing time. He clearly won’t be getting a ring, but if that was most important then he probably would have already re-signed with Golden State.
I like it for the Cavs too, because it’s a cheap flyer on a young depth piece. Maybe he can show a little more with a better chance to develop.
Win for McCaw… He definitely will get to play more. The Cavs wing depth is awful. Cavs would b best suited to trade a few more vets to open up PT for the young guys.
Who ??
I guess you think that is clever. But actually it just indicates you don’t follow basketball very closely.
That’s a broad statement and could you tell me why I don’t follow basketball closely?
The dude’s a bust. I’m a warrior fan.
He can’t shoot a lick. Cavs and previously the Warriors thought He could turn it around and become a player because he’s got a good attitude unselfish good size Vision good on D steals the ball.
But why is it that I don’t follow basketball closely?
That was said to you because it’s easy to say confrontational crap when you don’t actually have to confront.
You mean confront McCaw? Say “who?” To Patrick McCaw?
He’s not available for me to talk to. He’s in St Louis. I’m not in St Louis.
This is the comment section od a basketball trade rumor website. The guy said I don’t follow basketball. I’m not understanding your explanation.
Maybe I’m slow. That’s very possible LOL.
But if someone brings up the name Patrick McCaw especially after the way he played last season, and they say he signed an offer sheet with another team, the way I’m looking at the Warriors right now it’s like, who?
I stand by that. But yeah I follow basketball.
I meant the guy that told you that you must not follow basketball closely. I was supporting you.
Okay got you. Told you I was slow !!
It’s good to see this kid not just chasing a ring. Getting some playing time to prove himself in the league, good on him.
CLE GM Altman must like this body type. . . Nance, Clarkson, Hood, Nwaba, Burks, Blossingame, Mccaw. Even Henson, though he was just salary. Everyone new except Sexton, Gilbert’s choice, and Dellavedova, CLE’s second-unit Bledsoe. . .
Because this is the Bucks’ wingy long-limbs plan. (Milwaukee, not OSU.) Now for a Giannis!