Toronto Raptors: Controversy surrounds Patrick McCaw signing

The Toronto Raptors are reportedly set to sign Patrick McCaw, just as the NBA launches an investigation into his brief stint in Cleveland.

On Monday, the Toronto Raptors placed Lorenzo Brown on waivers. It put the team one below the league roster minimum of 13, and they had a window of two weeks to find another player.

This issue now appears to have been resolved. As first reported by ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Raptors plan to sign Patrick McCaw.

The Athletic‘s Shams Charania added that McCaw will sign a one-year deal, for the league minimum of $786,000. Mark Medina of The Mercury News reports that the Raptors were one of nine teams contacted by the guard’s representatives.

However, the pending signing of the 23-year-old will be overshadowed by the NBA’s investigation into his brief stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The request was made by the Golden State Warriors and the NBA will speak to McCaw’s representatives as part of their investigation.

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The 2016 second round draft pick only played three games for the Cavaliers, after signing a two-year, $6 million deal which the Warriors did not match. The issue stems from Cleveland releasing the player a day before his $3 million salary for this season would have become guaranteed.

This has led to claims the Cavaliers gave him a way out of Golden State, while helping him try to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2018-19 campaign*. In theory, Cleveland could face fines and a loss of draft picks.

In reality though, it’s going to be tough for the NBA to prove any wrongdoing. No matter how suspicious the whole chain of events might be, everything was done within the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

For one thing, the Cavaliers only had nine healthy bodies when they originally made their offer to McCaw. In addition, it was the Warriors’ decision not to match the offer for him.

Of course, there are other elements to consider as well, but it will still be surprising if the NBA does take further action against the Cavaliers. In truth, I’m more intrigued by how much McCaw wanted to leave Golden State.

From his perspective, the St. Louis, Missouri native said he just wanted a new opportunity elsewhere. In fairness this is understandable, especially considering his position in the Warriors’ rotation.

However, it is still slightly surprising when considering how much money McCaw left on the table in Golden State. He allowed a $1.71 million qualifying offer to expire and then turned down a two-year, $5.2 million offer prior to the season, which included a guarantee on the first year.

When combining the $323,000 he earned in Cleveland with what he will make in Toronto, the two-time NBA champion has certainly cost himself financially this season. This speaks volumes about how much he truly wanted to leave Golden State.

Regardless, it will now be up to McCaw to use the remainder of this season to prove himself and become an attractive proposition for teams around the NBA. If he can, he will then be able to put himself in position to receive some decent offers.

Ironically, one issue which could compromise this, is the same one McCaw faced in Golden State. As with the Warriors, he is projected to be near the bottom of the Toronto Raptors’ rotation.

The 2016 MWC All-Defensive Team selection averaged 4.0 points 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 128 regular season games for the Warriors. He averaged 15.9 minutes per contest and started 30 times.

* If the Raptors make a qualifying offer after this season, McCaw will only be a restricted free agent. They would also be able to match any offers for him.

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What’s your take on McCaw? How useful do you predict he will be for the Toronto Raptors? Further, do you expect any sanctions by the NBA against the Cavaliers? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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