CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 8: Patrick McCaw #0 of the Golden State Warriors reacts before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals on June 8, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)Noah Graham/Getty Images

Warriors Trade Rumors: GS Could Match Patrick McCaw Offer to Use Him as an Asset

Tyler ConwayDec 28, 2018

The Golden State Warriors could choose to match the two-year offer sheet Patrick McCaw signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it may not be in order to keep him around.

Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the Warriors may wind up matching the non-guaranteed $6 million deal to keep McCaw as trade bait.

However, because McCaw is a restricted free agent, he would have the right to approve any trade if the Warriors matched.

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The deal has an interesting wrinkle that would allow the Cavs or Warriors to release McCaw before Jan. 7 without any further financial obligations. It's possible this was a bit of a wink-wink agreement, whereby the Cavs sign McCaw and then release him to allow him to become an unrestricted free agent.

Golden State matching the offer sheet is still an unlikely outcome. McCaw has in no uncertain terms made it clear he wants to leave the Warriors. He's turned down both a guaranteed two-year deal worth more than $5 million and a one-year offer sheet. That has kept him in basketball exile for more than two months, devaluing his stock around the league as the Warriors didn't miss much of a beat without him.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported earlier this month that the Warriors plan to match any offer sheet for McCaw.

Golden State currently has 14 players under contract and has tried to keep the 15th slot open. If the team plans on continuing to carry only 14 players and match McCaw, it would likely come at the expense of Alfonzo McKinnie, who surprisingly played his way into the rotation.