The decision by the Warriors to not match the offer sheet Cleveland presented to Patrick McCaw last week was based on several factors, including cost.
The Cavaliers offered McCaw a two-year deal at a reported $6 million. The Warriors deliberated during the 48-hour window to match and decided to pass "for a combination of reasons," according to general manager Bob Myers.
"We can't ignore where we are financially," Myers said Monday. "Fortunately working with (CEO Joe Lacob) and our ownership group, they've never been monetarily driven in a direction. It's always been about winning and staying as competitive as we can.
"But at the same time, understanding we would like to add another piece at some point at the big spot, it would have meant then probably having to release someone to clear another spot to add another big."
If the Warriors had matched the offer sheet, they would have paid $3 million in salary, along with about $11.25 million in luxury taxes to keep McCaw. Already facing a $50 million tax bill, it would have soared just past $61 million if they had matched.
It was concluded that such a large payout not feasible for a reserve wing, especially when the team is comfortable with forward Alfonzo McKinnie's work and is scanning the market to fill its need for a reserve big man.
"If it had made sense, and everything else lined up, and it was the right thing to do, we would have done it," Myers said. "I don't think the financial part was the only reason, but it was a reason we had to look at and be cognizant of and aware of. That combined with everything else made for our decision to not match."
Sports
[RELATED: Patrick McCaw reveals why he wanted to leave Warriors, join Cavs]
Though there were questions about whether McCaw's holdout would have compromised his acceptance in the locker room, Myers felt that wouldn't be an issue.
"I don't think that was a huge part of it," he said. "We would have welcomed him back, our team would have, our coach would have and we would have, had it worked out.
"I didn't get a sense throughout the process that he was defiant and clearly wouldn't want to be back with us. I never got a strong belief that that was the case."
