Golden State Warriors big man Willie Cauley-Stein returns to Golden 1 Center on Monday to face the Sacramento Kings, and he's expecting the fans to show him some love.
The Kings drafted Cauley-Stein with the sixth overall pick in the 2015 draft. After spending four years in Sacramento, Cauley-Stein signed with the Warriors this past summer:
Former King Willie Cauley-Stein feels good being back in Sacramento, looking forward to playing against old team tonight. Says he expects both love & hate from the crowd – but "a lot of love." @THEwillieCS15 pic.twitter.com/gkzxXS2JpW
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) January 6, 2020
The Kings rescinded their qualifying offer to Cauley-Stein, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 26-year-old signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Warriors, with the second year of the deal being a player option.
Cauley-Stein averaged 10.1 points and 6.4 rebounds in 295 games with the Kings.
There might be a few boos from Kings fans on Monday after what Cauley-Stein said last month. The Warriors center said his college coach, John Calipari, warned him about what his experience with the Sacramento franchise could be like.
The Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 2006. Things are a lot better now that Vlade Divac is the GM. However, Cauley-Stein saw firsthand what dysfunction was like during his first couple of seasons with the team, something Calipari knew could happen.
In 32 games with the Warriors this season, Cauley-Stein is averaging 8.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He is also shooting 56.6 percent from the field and 60.5 percent from the free-throw line.
The Warriors are 9-28 on the season. They are in last place in the Western Conference standings.
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