News about former Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein broke last week in Connor Letourneau’s piece for the San Francisco Chronicle. The article not only sheds light on Cauley-Stein’s character issues throughout his time in Sacramento, but also his gamble in free agency this past offseason.
Near the end of the piece and almost as an afterthought, Letourneau mentions that Cauley-Stein turned down a $9 million deal from the Charlotte Hornets before opting to sign with the Golden State Warriors.
The news about the Hornets’ offer was largely unknown until last week, and brings new light to the decision making that Cauley-Stein went through during the offseason: by turning down that $9 million deal from Charlotte, he was essentially betting on Stephen Curry.