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The Warriors have signed two players who may have a massive, beneficial impact on the team’s front court for the upcoming season. With the trade of Damian Jones to the Atlanta Hawks for Omari Spellman, the Warriors opened up an additional roughly $400,000. It appears they have used that money to sign Eric Paschall and Willie Cauley-Stein.
According to Michael Scotto of The Athletic, the Warriors gave Paschall – a projected first-round pick who fell to the second round and has performed well in Summer League with a Draymond Green-like skillset – a fully-guaranteed three-year deal for $4.2 million. This is significant, because it means Paschall will make more than the rookie minimum he could have been offered at $898,310.
There’s no word on the exact numbers of each year, but if it’s an escalating deal that rises by five percent per year (the maximum allowed using a mid-level exception), Paschall would be making around $1.34 million next season. It means that by using the taxpayer mid-level exception, the only way the Warriors can offer above a minimum contract, the Warriors will have his Bird rights when he hits free agency. Paschall was projected to make the minimum by Spotrac.
The Golden State Warriors signed Eric Paschall, the No. 41 pick of the 2019 draft, to a 3-year, $4.2 million deal, league sources told @TheAthleticNBA. The deal is fully guaranteed.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 10, 2019
Additionally, the Warriors will sign Willie Cauley-Stein for more than the minimum, coming in for a two-year, $4.4 million deal with a second-year player option. If the second year is a raise at the maximum of five percent, Cauley-Stein projects to make $2.15 million this season. This would also be using the taxpayer mid-level exception.
Sources: Center Willie Cauley-Stein’s contract with the Golden State Warriors: Two years and $4.4M, with a player option in the second season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 10, 2019