On Monday morning, the Golden State Warriors signed James Michael McAdoo to a 10-day contract.
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In his NBA debut on Monday against the Denver Nuggets, McAdoo was impressive, posting 11 points and five rebounds in 13 minutes of action. It wasn’t historic by any means, but definitely a showing that peaks your interest to see if he could earn some real minutes for the Warriors.
McAdoo has had an interesting timeline leading up to now. One of the more highly touted players coming out of high school, McAdoo took his talents to the University of North Carolina – along with Harrison Barnes – but had an up and down career during his three years playing for the Tar Heels. It seemed like the talent was there, but had yet to find a way to put it all together.
Mar 23, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward James Michael McAdoo (43) dribbles during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones in the third round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
He impressed in the Summer League playing for the Warriors, and earned a spot on their Developmental League team in Santa Cruz. After playing especially well at a D-League showcase tournament, the Warriors decided to sign McAdoo to a 10-day contract to see what he could offer the team.
This was a great move by Golden State. With the league’s best record along with arguably the best second unit in the game, it could be easy to forget about the guys down in Santa Cruz trying to get a chance in the NBA.
With an open roster spot, the Warriors figured they might as well give him a shot. With this move, they’ve have nothing to lose. With an extremely deep bench, McAdoo isn’t going to be put in with the game on the line or during intense situations. Coach Kerr and the Warriors coaching staff can work him in slowly, putting him in during the second halves of blowout wins (something the Dubs are becoming accustomed to) and if he is showing growth, he could potentially earn some more important minutes and be given a slice of the minutes in the rotation.
If he doesn’t pan out? No biggie. The 33-6 Warriors will probably be just fine.
Mar 23, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward James Michael McAdoo (43) grabs a rebound during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones in the third round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
But give the kid a shot – he is 6-foot-9 with incredible athletic ability and a wingspan of over 7-feet. He can get up and down the court with ease. He battles down low – averaging over 9 rebounds per game in Santa Cruz – and his build is good on the defensive end. His style of play fits well with Golden State’s up tempo and run-and-gun style of play.
The skill set is a bit raw and there aren’t many minutes available right now, but his ceiling is high. He was projected as a lottery pick by some going into his freshman year at UNC, so it is clear that the talent is there. His path to where he is now is probably one that nobody had ever envisioned, but he is here. And it would be a big mistake for the Warriors to let him walk after his 10-day contract.
I’m not saying that McAdoo will definitely turn into a productive NBA player in the future, but he certainly has the ability too. Keeping McAdoo might not pan out until next season, but he is one whom I think is worth holding on to, just to see what he can really offer.