Willie Cauley-Stein

31-Year-Old CenterC

Free Agent Foreign

2024 Stats

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STL

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BLK

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2025 Projections

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2024 Fantasy Outlook

There was no outlook written for Willie Cauley-Stein in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.

RANKS
Current Season

From Preseason

Height 7'0"

Weight 240

DOB 8/18/1993

College Kentucky

Drafted 1st Rd, #6 in 2015

Personal Bio/PreCareer Summary

Willie Trill Cauley-Stein was born in Spearville, Kansas, to Willie Cauley and Marlene Stein. His father played college basketball at Dodge City Community College and for one season at the University of Pittsburgh. As a sophomore, Cauley-Stein transferred to Olathe Northwest High School in Olathe, Kansas. During his junior season, he averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He was considered a four-star basketball recruit by Rivals.com and was listed as the No. 9 center and the No. 40 player in the nation in 2012. Cauley-Stein also gained recognition on the football field, playing wide receiver and catching 57 passes for 1,140 yards and 14 touchdowns in nine games in 2011. Cauley-Stein has helped design a collection of custom watches, with proceeds donated to the American Cancer Society in honor of a late childhood friend. Learn more about Cauley-Stein by following him on Twitter (@THEwillieCS15) and Instagram (@pr00fessortrill). Cauley-Stein joined Kentucky as part of another loaded recruiting class in 2012-13. For the majority of his freshman season, the seven-footer came off the bench in support of Nerlens Noel. Toward the end of the SEC schedule, Noel tore his ACL and Cauley-Stein started the last 10 games of the season. He had two of his four double-doubles during this period. The Wildcats lost four of their last five games and did not receive an NCAA Tournament bid. The center started 18 games as a sophomore and provided 6.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. In the SEC Tournament title-game win over Florida, Cauley-Stein had 10 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. He injured his leg in the NCAA Tournament and returned to Kentucky for his junior season. The center started all but one game in his third season and averaged 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for a stacked Kentucky team that did not lose until the Final Four against Wisconsin. Cauley-Stein announced after the season that he would enter the 2015 NBA Draft.

Continuing career abroad

CFree Agent

July 31, 2023

Cauley-Stein signed a contract with Italian club Pallacanestro Varese on Monday.

ANALYSIS
Cauley-Stein's deal presumably contains an out clause that would allow him to pursue a return to North America if an opportunity presents itself, but NBA teams likely aren't chomping at the bit to bring in the 2015 lottery pick. Since leaving Sacramento after his rookie deal expired following the 2018-19 season, Cauley-Stein has bounced around between four organizations and eventually found himself outside of the rotation at all four stops. The 29-year-old center was most recently with the Rockets on a pair of 10-day deals in February and April, but he didn't see any NBA action during the 2022-23 season.

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How does Willie Cauley-Stein compare to other players?

This section compares his stats with all players from the previous three seasons (minimum 200 minutes played)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

True Shooting %
An advanced statistic that measures a player's efficiency at shooting the ball that takes field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and three point percentage into account.
Effective Field Goal %
A statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals count for three points while field goals only count for two points.
3-Point Attempt Rate
Percentage of field goal attempts from three point range.
Free Throw Rate
Number of free throw attempts per field goal attempt.
Offensive Rebound %
An estimate of the percentage of available offensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
Defensive Rebound %
An estimate of the percentage of available defensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
Total Rebound %
An estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
Assist %
An estimate of the percentage of teammate field goals a player assisted while they were on the floor.
Steal %
An estimate of the percentage of opponent possessions that end with a steal by the player while they were on the floor.
Block %
An estimate of the percentage of opponent two-point field goal attempts blocked by the player while they were on the floor.
Turnover %
An estimate of turnovers committed per 100 plays.
Usage %
An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while they were on the floor.
Fantasy Points Per Game
NBA Fantasy Points Per Game.
Fantasy Points Per Minute
NBA Fantasy Points Per Minute.

True Shooting %

47.4%

Effective Field Goal %

47.1%

3-Point Attempt Rate

5.7%

Free Throw Rate

5.7%

Offensive Rebound %

8.2%

Defensive Rebound %

15.8%

Total Rebound %

12.0%

Assist %

7.1%

Steal %

1.5%

Block %

1.5%

Turnover %

13.5%

Usage %

11.0%

Fantasy Points Per Game

6.3

Fantasy Points Per Minute

0.6

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NBA Historical Fantasy Stats

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How are these ratings calculated?

Our historical fantasy ratings are standard scores calculated using 8-Category settings with 12 teams and 13 players per team.

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Historical ADP

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

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2015

Cauley-Stein will once again be part of the center mix in Dallas. He joins Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell, Moses Brown and Boban Marjanovic in a rather ugly competition for minutes at the five. Cauley-Stein appeared in 53 games for the Mavs last year, with 16 starts. He posted a modest 5.3 points, 4.5 boards and 0.8 blocks over 17.1 minutes per contest. All four centers are offensive afterthoughts to Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway and even Jalen Brunson. Once believed to have plenty of potential, Cauley-Stein is now 28 years old and probably facing pay cut next summer. It was mildly surprising that the Mavericks elected to pick up his $4.1 million option for 2021-22. On a positive note, Cauley-Stein did shoot a career-high 63.2 percent from the field last year. Still, with only 3.4 shots per game, that nice percentage won't help your fantasy squad.

Cauley-Stein signed with the Warriors prior to the 2019-20 season. He appeared in 41 games (37 starts) for Golden State, averaging 7.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals in 22.9 minutes. However, on Jan. 25, he was traded to the Mavericks for a second-round pick. Cauley-Stein saw a reduced role with Dallas, averaging 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 12.1 minutes (13 appearances, two starts). Given his relatively modest campaign, Cauley-Stein finished outside of the top-150 (per-game, eight-category leagues) for the first time since 2016-17. The 27-year-old signed a two-year, $8.2 million deal during the offseason to remain with Dallas. That essentially ensures he'll remain irrelevant in standard fantasy leagues. Chances are, he'll only see meaningful minutes if Dwight Powell misses time.

Cauley-Stein should have no shortage of motivation this coming season, as long-term job security eludes him for the time being. The fifth-year big man signed a one-year deal with the Warriors for slightly more than the league minimum after four so-so seasons in Sacramento to open his career. The seven-footer played more up to his size over his last two campaigns, averaging a career-best 8.4 rebounds last season and pairing them with a new high-water mark in steals (1.2). However, he's disappointingly averaged less than a block per game in each pro campaign thus far and also drained a career-worst 55.6 percent of his free-throw attempts last season. The center position has mostly taken a back seat offensively in Golden State for the last several seasons, given the plethora of talent elsewhere in the starting five. Yet, with Klay Thompson likely out until sometime after the All-Star break with his knee injury and Kevin Durant (Achilles) now in Brooklyn, that may change to an extent in the 2019-20 campaign. Whether Cauley-Stein will see enough minutes to capitalize is firmly up in the air, however. A fellow big who's almost three years younger and has considerably more experience in coach Steve Kerr's system, Kevon Looney, will be splitting time with Cauley-Stein at center. Cauley-Stein certainly has much more prototypical size for the position than the 6-foot-9 Looney, but the latter has proven capable of handling center duties in the way the position is deployed in Golden State's fast-paced attack. Ultimately, a drop in production across the board for Cauley-Stein is very possible, considering Warriors centers in the Kerr Era have typically averaged considerably fewer than the respective 10.6 and 9.1 attempts the big man put up during his last two Kings seasons.

During his third year in the league, Cauley-Stein saw the most run of his career. He started 58 of his 73 appearances, garnering 28.0 minutes per contest. As a result, he set career highs nearly across the board by averaging 12.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 61.9 percent from the charity stripe. He flashed a diverse skillset, able to put up significant stats in every category. Cauley-Stein was able to rack up 11 20-point games, 13 games with double-digit rebounds, six games with at least five assists, seven games with at least three steals, and four games with at least three swats. He should be in line for a similar workload this year, though the added presence of Marvin Bagley, who could play some center, could limited Cauley-Stein’s upside. Still, as a starting center who is expected to see minutes in the mid-to-upper 20s, Cauley-Stein is worth a look in the later rounds of most Fantasy drafts.

Cauley-Stein emerged last season after the Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins, creating a vacuum at the center slot. After the All-Star break, Cauley-Stein garnered 30.9 minutes, posting 12.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field. While he isn’t a great scorer, the 7-foot 24-year-old has demonstrated solid upside as a rebounder and defender. He’s also a willing passer, racking up five games last season with at least five assists, all of which occurred in the 25 games he appeared in after the All-Star break. Though the Kings added veteran Zach Randolph to the mix heading into the 2017-18 season, Cauley-Stein still projects to be the starting center over him, Kosta Koufos and Georgios Papagiannis. Due to Sacramento’s center depth, it’s somewhat difficult to peg what Cauley-Stein’s exact role will be next season. Though, his heavy workload last season indicates that coaching and management believes in his potential as a long-term starting option. There are likely safer options from a workload perspective in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft, but he still has legitimate sleeper potential.

Cauley-Stein might not have received the accolades some of his fellow lottery picks did as rookies, but he validated the Kings' belief that he'd add some stability to the frontcourt, particularly for his work on the defensive end. While his averages of 5.3 boards and 1.0 block in 21.4 minutes per game didn't stand out, Cauley-Stein's seven-foot, 240-pound frame served as a constant deterrent for the opposition to attack the rim. Cauley-Stein's game remains less developed on the offensive end, but he did well to convert on most of his limited opportunities, averaging 7.0 points per game on 56.3 percent shooting from the floor. It seems unlikely that Cauley-Stein will develop enough of a perimeter game to raise his offensive floor much higher, but even as a Tyson Chandler-esque type who can protect the rim and excel at finishing near the basket, the 23-year-old would provide fantasy appeal through his rebounding, shot blocking and field-goal percentage. With DeMarcus Cousins expanding his offensive repertoire to the three-point line in 2015-16, he and Cauley-Stein are able to share the floor together, which was something of a concern heading into last season. Look for Cauley-Stein to see his minutes rise during his sophomore season, which should benefit his numbers across the board.

In an effort to improve upon their 27th ranked defense, the Sacramento Kings made the junior center out of Kentucky their selection with the sixth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 2015 1st team All-American averaged 26 minutes, 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks while shooting 57 percent from the field last season. Cauley-Stein's best asset is his ability to defend in the paint as well as on the perimeter, drawing comparisons to athletic NBA centers like Tyson Chandler. His biggest weakness is a lack of development on the offensive end. Cauley-Stein has limited range as a shooter and needs to refine his repertoire with his back to the basket. He has shown promise as a free-throw shooter, having improved his free throw shooting from 37 percent as a freshman to 62 percent during his junior year. His role in the Kings rotation is still to be determined this season. There is a natural void in the frontcourt with Jason Thompson being jettisoned to Philadelphia, but head coach George Karl has mentioned that he would like to see more of Rudy Gay as a stretch four. Regardless, there should be ample opportunity for playing time, as Sacramento lacks appropriate depth behind Demarcus Cousins and will need Cauley-Stein on the court in order to improve their defense. After drafting WCS, the Kings also signed center Kosta Koufos in free agency, a player coach George Karl started at center back in Denver, so it's likely WCS will be coming off the bench behind Koufos to start the season.

More Fantasy News

Signs with Rockets

CRio Grande Valley Vipers G League (Rockets)

April 9, 2023

Cauley-Stein has signed a contract with the Rockets, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.

ANALYSIS
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Unimpressive across Game 2

CRio Grande Valley Vipers G League (Rockets)

April 7, 2023

Cauley-Stein logged four points (2-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 0-1 FT), seven rebounds, three assists and two steals across 29 minutes across during the Vipers' 114-110 loss to Delaware on Thursday.

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Out with personal issue

CRio Grande Valley Vipers G League (Rockets)

Personal

April 4, 2023

Cauley-Stein did not play during Tuesday's 134-120 loss to Delaware because of personal reasons.

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Won't be retained by Houston

CFree Agent

March 8, 2023

The Rockets won't offer Cauley-Stein a second 10-day contract after his initial deal expired Wednesday, Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reports.

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Joining Rockets on 10-day deal

CRio Grande Valley Vipers G League (Rockets)

February 27, 2023

Cauley-Stein agreed Monday with the Rockets on a 10-day deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

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Latest Fantasy Rumors

Could land in Minnesota

CFree Agent

March 8, 2022

Cauley-Stein is a possible free-agent target for the Timberwolves, Darren Wolfson of KSTP reports.

ANALYSIS
In an interview with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, Cauley-Stein's name was mentioned as someone who could help Minnesota's rebounding. The 28-year-old center has already had stints this season with the Mavericks and 76ers, but he had his 10-day contract with Philadelphia end early at the beginning of the month when the Sixers acquired DeAndre Jordan.

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