Summer League Game 1 preview: The Pat McCaw era begins

Tonight, we get our first look at the Warriors’ most exciting addition this summer, our future star that will help bring about the next dominant basketball dynasty: Pat McCaw!

The Warriors’ summer league team take on the San Antonio Spurs here in Las Vegas, starting at 7:30pm PT and airing on NBA TV ESPN2. And it’s a bit of a homecoming (or maybe a never-left-home) situation for McCaw, who played his two years of college ball at UNLV, the venue for the NBA’s primary summer exhibition session.

A 6’7", 180lb wing, McCaw bills as a possible jack-of-all-trades player, with good instincts, athleticism, and length. He’s thin and young, and, ok, I’ll admit, might need a bit of seasoning before he can depose Kevin Durant in the starting lineup. That said, assuming the Warriors do not use one of their last couple roster spots on a veteran wing, McCaw has a chance to fill the minutes void of Leandro Barbosa and Brandon Rush. Will he handle and create like the former, or play a 3-and-D role like the latter? Time will tell, but probably both, because he’s a generational talent of whom we should all be in awe.

While Pat can probably beat the Spurs going 1-on-5, he does have some teammates that Jarron Collins can turn to. Among them, a familiar face: Ognjen Kuuuuuuuzmic! The 52nd pick by the Warriors in 2012, Kuz is making another run at the NBA after heading back to Europe, last playing for Panathinaikos in Greece. He’ll be competing for playing time and scouting attention with a man who makes him look shockingly small: the undrafted 7’5" Mamadou N’Diaye. He has an 8’1" wingspan, which is kind of insane.

Another big looking for attention on this Warriors summer team is Robert Carter, Jr. Read Nate’s Q&A with the Testudo Times to get excited about Carter’s potential as a versatile combo big man.

Will this summer league team challenge for the championship? With McCaw, of course. With all of these other guys, it’s a near lock. #arrogantsummer