Willie Cauley-Stein was keenly aware that his time with the Sacramento Kings would come to a close even before this offseason hit, well prior to shifting gears and agreeing to a minimum deal to join the Golden State Warriors:
“I kind of had the feeling when they didn’t extend me (the year before),” said Cauley-Stein, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “From that point on, I knew something was up. Because that didn’t make sense. Then from then on, I could feel a shift.”
Cauley-Stein told reporters on 2018 Media Day that he was “ready to get paid” and was looking to hammer out a lucrative extension, but the Kings weren't quite sold on doling out big money for a center who had yet to meet their vision as a nightly double-double and an improved defender.
The 26-year-old wasn't sure if he'd hear from the Kings in this offseason, saying he didn't really have an expectation for how this summer would turn out. The Kings rolled out a qualifying offer after he asked out of Sacramento, but they soon withdrew it so he could be free to sign elsewhere.
The 7-footer noted there's still much to learn about how to handle contractual situations, noting he might have gone a little ahead of himself last season by making such declarations before the season:
“I think there’s still a lot I need to learn about this league,” said a humbled Cauley-Stein. “I think I got excited, jumped the gun a little bit and learned a lot.”
The former Kings starting center signed for three times less what his qualifying offer would have been with the Kings, a real bargain for the Warriors, who are hard-capped and hopeful to acquire talent for cheap.
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