The league found no wrongdoing in Cleveland’s actions with the former Warriors wing.
Hopefully this brings an end to the Patrick McCaw saga. The NBA has cleared the Cleveland Cavaliers of any wrongdoing in their pursuit of the former Golden State Warriors wing, meaning the drama is finally over.
NBA says it has completed its investigation into the Cavaliers’ signing and subsequent waiver of Patrick McCaw. Based on the specific facts and circumstances of this matter, the NBA found that there was no violation of the league’s CBA, including the anti-circumvention rules.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) January 14, 2019
The league investigated the Cavs at the urging of the Warriors, after Cleveland signed McCaw to a relatively lucrative non-guaranteed contract, and then waived him a week later.
Golden State felt that the contract Cleveland offered - two-years, $6 million, fully non-guaranteed - was not done in good faith. The assumption was that the Cavs signed McCaw to a contract that the Warriors would not match, and then waived him, letting him join the unrestricted free agency that he sought.
After clearing waivers, McCaw signed with the Toronto Raptors on a one-year, $786,00 veteran’s minimum contract, further proving that Cleveland’s offer was far above the third-year forward’s market value.
But if the Cavs engaged in circumvention, they left no tangible evidence, so the league is unable to punish them. Still, the fact that it was investigated at all, may keep teams from trying this maneuver in the future.
McCaw has yet to see the floor since joining the Raptors. At the end of the season Toronto can give him the qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent once more.
