Ranking the Warriors’ assets: Patrick McCaw a glimpse into the Warriors' future

The GSoM community is ranking the Golden State Warriors' players "Survivor" style, eliminating one player per poll until we've decided who is the most valuable to the Warriors in 2017 and beyond.

We're referring to the players as "assets." As such, voters are reminded to consider age, salary, injuries, production, potential and overall value to the team (as either a player or trade piece) when making their selections. Basically, you're part of the front office, and it's time to cut the next player.

We're back for yet another player evaluation in the asset series. This time it was Patrick McCaw who was eliminated by the GSoM community.

As a rookie, McCaw has already won over DubNation with his preseason and summer league play as well as his limited minutes in the regular season so far. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that he lasted this long in the series before being voted out.

The last bench player to receive this much love from DubNation was probably Kent Bazemore, but even then he was being lauded for his animated celebrations on the sideline as opposed to his play on the court. Fans and analysts alike have fallen in love with McCaw; it may only be a matter of time before the bird call chant rains down over Oracle.

So what is it that McCaw does which has captivated the Warriors fan base so quickly? Well, despite only being drafted this year and not having played much, he already has a pretty impressive highlight reel, which includes some electric defensive plays as well as some great offense from the preseason. The most notable of which is probably the back to back clutch shots from the Warriors preseason game against Denver. McCaw nailed the 3-point shot to send the game into overtime as well as the buzzer beater to eventually win the game.

It's not just about the highlights however. McCaw has a lot going for him. Standing 6-foot-7, he's a good height for an NBA guard and has the wingspan to match. Defensively he has very quick hands that he uses well to disrupt passing lanes and create turnovers. Furthermore his lateral movement is excellent and his defensive stance is almost textbook. McCaw is also versatile enough that eventually he should be comfortable defending either guard position despite his perceived lack of muscle.

While offensively McCaw has a nice feel for the game, something head coach Steve Kerr himself noted earlier in the year when he commented, "He reminds me a lot of Andre (Iguodala) and Shaun Livingston, and not only with his build, but with his feel for the game."

And although he does have a slightly high dribble, McCaw never looks flustered; he has solid handles and has already proven that he can create shots for others as well as himself. The Andre Iguodala and especially the Shaun Livingston comparisons make a lot of sense but one thing is for sure: McCaw is already a better three point shooter than either of these men. Albeit a small sample size McCaw shot 40.9% from deep in the preseason.

With the new CBA there exists a strong possibility that the Warriors may have to choose between Iguodala and Livingston who are both free agents at the end of the year. In the worst case scenario, they may have to part with both players (unless they both sign an offer significantly below what they're currently worth). This makes McCaw even more valuable to the team as he could be taking over one of these roles in the very near future.

Is it possible that the Warriors have gotten another steal in the draft? Jerry West thinks so stating, "People are gonna be sorry they didn't draft McCaw". Now this could just be Mr. West towing the company line, but I have the feeling that a few years from now Warriors fans will be looking back on that comment rather smugly.

With McCaw gone, it's time for the GSoM community to cast their vote yet again, with very few left who do you think the least valuable player is for this years Warriors squad?