Andrew Bogut Likely to Sign with Rockets or Cavs as Middle Finger to Warriors for Dumping Him For Kevin Durant
By Jason McIntyre
June 7, 2016: Andrew Bogut and the Warriors rally from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Thunder. Media keeps asking the Warriors about landing Kevin Durant in the offseason. Bogut’s answer to the media: Why do we need him?
June 16, 2016: Andrew Bogut hurt during a collision with JR Smith during Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Forced to miss the final 2+ games of the Finals. Bogut sort of blamed JR Smith for the injury.
July 4, 2016: Hours after Kevin Durant told the Warriors he’d sign with them, the Warriors traded Andrew Bogut to the Mavericks.
November 9, 2016: Bogut finally unloads on the Warriors for dumping him. “This league is so two-faced and everybody is so fake … this league is full of people who are full of shit and shallow, and that’s what you figure out in pro sports.”
February 23, 2017: Dallas trades Andrew Bogut and Justin Anderson and a pick to the 76ers for Nerlens Noel.
Bogut’s buyout from the 76ers is nearly complete, and he’ll have his pick of where he wants to play for the rest of the season. The Cavs are obviously very interested in Bogut. The Rockets are too. Here’s the big difference:
Houston can offer Bogut $3.5 million.
Cleveland can offer Bogut a “prorated amount of the veteran’s minimum $1.55 million, about $407,000.”
If it comes down to money, Bogut made $105 million in his first 11 seasons.
One interesting stat to look at: The Warriors now lead the league in blocks despite having lost their best shot blocker (Bogut). Durant and Draymond Green are on pace to set personal blocked shot records.
The Cavs are 27th in blocks. I’m not entirely sure how Bogut fits up front with Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love (when he’s healthy again), especially when the Warriors go small.
Houston might make a little more sense, but they actually have two promising centers who are far more agile, younger, and bouncier (Clint Capela and Montrezl Harrell).
What Bogut adds, of course, is one off-the-court attribute that Cleveland and Houston both covet: Intimate knowledge of the Warriors, and a chip on his shoulder for revenge.