Patrick McCaw

It’s rare for a second-round pick to play meaningful minutes as a rookie with any team, much less a team that reached the NBA Finals for a third consecutive season, but that’s exactly the situation McCaw found himself in with the Warriors in 2016-17. The Warriors clearly coveted McCaw during the pre-draft process, and ultimately ponied up $2.4 million to buy his rights from Milwaukee on draft day. McCaw went on to average just 4.0 points (on 43.3 percent shooting from the field), 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 15.1 minutes per game in his 71 appearances, but much like the elder teammate he’s often compared to (Andre Iguodala), the swingman’s value to the Warriors transcended the stat sheet. While filling in as a starter for the injured Kevin Durant for a large portion of the second half, McCaw provided quality defense and stayed within the flow of his offense, rarely looking for his own shot but keeping the ball moving nonetheless. Though McCaw’s path to major minutes is still blocked after Iguodala was re-signed this summer, the 21-year-old will likely absorb much of the extra playing time that opened up following combo guard Ian Clark’s departure for the Pelicans. It probably won’t be enough of an upgrade for McCaw to bring consistent Fantasy value outside of deeper leagues in 2017-18, but he carries more appeal in dynasty formats, given the likelihood that he settles into a starting role for the Warriors or as a sixth man once he reaches his prime.