Warriors Rumors: Ex-King Willie Cauley-Stein Agrees to 2-Year, $4.4M Contract
On the heels of a career year, Willie Cauley-Stein reportedly signed a two-year, $4.4 million deal with the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Charania noted there is a player option on the second year of the deal.
Cauley-Stein became an unrestricted free agent when the Sacramento Kings pulled their qualifying offer.
Cauley-Stein's agent, Roger Montgomery, told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee that he felt it was time for a change of scenery: "I really think Willie needs a fresh start. Based on how things have gone for him there in Sacramento, I just think it's time for Willie to move on and we'd really like him to move on."
In 2018-19, the 25-year-old averaged 11.9 points and a career-best 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Since the Kings selected Cauley-Stein with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft out of Kentucky, he has gotten progressively better over his four NBA seasons. His PER rose every season, from 15.3 as a rookie to 18.0 this past season, according to Basketball Reference.
Cauley-Stein is a big reason why the Kings were competitive last season in the stacked Western Conference. However, Sacramento moved on this offseason by agreeing to a deal with veteran center Dewayne Dedmon.
The Kings also have young, promising bigs on their roster who could receive more playing time in the wake of Cauley-Stein's departure. Along with 2018 No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III, Harry Giles may begin to see the floor more consistently.
Giles showed some flashes late in the 2018-19 campaign, and he and Bagley could develop into the Kings' frontcourt of the future.
With his tenure in Sacramento over, Cauley-Stein will now have a chance to blossom with the Warriors.
The Warriors also re-signed Kevon Looney this offseason, but Cauley-Stein gives them a more versatile weapon in the paint.
With a core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, D'Angelo Russell, Looney, Cauley-Stein and the injured Klay Thompson, Golden State still boasts a talented and dangerous team that could do some damage in the wide-open Western Conference.
