On Dec. 28 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers signed Patrick McCaw to an offer sheet. McCaw was a restricted free agent for the Golden State Warriors. A restricted free agent is a free agent that teams retain rights of; if another team offers a restricted free agent an offer, the player’s original team can match it. McCaw remained a restricted free agent and did not play for the Warriors this season.
The Cavaliers signed McCaw to a two-year, $6 million offer sheet and the Warriors had 48 hours to match the deal. However, the Warriors did not match the deal, so McCaw became a Cavalier.
McCaw played three games for the Cavaliers, and he scored five points in those three games. Then, the Cavaliers waived McCaw and signed former Chicago Bulls guard Cameron Payne. The Bulls waived Payne last Thursday, who cleared waivers and became an unrestricted free agent. The Cavs signed Payne to a 10-day contract and released McCaw before his contract became guaranteed for the rest of the season. Like Payne, once McCaw clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
The signing seemed normal, but the Warriors think otherwise. At the request of the Warriors, the NBA will review the Cavaliers’ McCaw signing.
Full @NYTSports coverage of the league’s looming examination into Cleveland’s recent signing and release of Patrick McCaw: https://t.co/GMxJLQlsay
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 9, 2019
Patrick McCaw played two seasons with the Warriors, averaging 4.0 points and 1.4 rebounds in his last season and winning two championships with them. McCaw signed with the Cavs after staying a restricted free agent. The Cavs waived McCaw, but they expressed interest in re-signing him, albeit for a cheaper deal.
The Warriors’ request for review comes from their concern of the deal. Some people around the league think the signing was out of spite, or perhaps think that the signing was a way for McCaw to free himself from the Warriors. The Cavs helped him do so.
The NBA’s investigation may not be severe, but it could lead to consequences for those involved. Only time will tell.
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