Bogut poised to rejoin NBA three-peat chasing Golden State
Andrew Bogut is poised to rejoin the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, who are bidding this season for a third straight title and fourth from the past five years.
The Australian centre, who spent four years at the Warriors including winning a title in 2015, sparked interest from multiple NBA teams following his outstanding first season with the Sydney Kings, but US media reports quoting league sources said Bogut's return to the All-Star-loaded California team was imminent.
The Warriors were waiting for the Kings to sign a letter of clearance.
"Bogut's representatives are working this week through a letter of clearance process from Australia's Sydney Kings," Shams Charania, an analyst for The Athletic, wrote on Monday (Tuesday AEDT).
Golden State were forced to ship Bogut to the Dallas Mavericks in 2016 to clear salary cap space so they could sign All-Star and former league MVP Kevin Durant, sparking an unsettled period for the Melbourne-born former No.1 NBA draft pick.
In February, 2017 the Mavericks sent Bogut to the Philadelphia 76ers, who waived him almost immediately, allowing the Cleveland Cavaliers to pick him up.
That proved a disaster with the Australian breaking his leg just seconds into his first game.
The Los Angeles Lakers signed Bogut at the start of the 2017-18 season but waived him midway through the season.
Bogut returned to Australia and signed a two-year deal with the Sydney Kings, winning the NBL MVP and defensive player of the year awards and attracting the attention of NBA teams.
Bogut is expected to easily fit back into the Warriors, with most of the key members, including head coach Steve Kerr and former teammates Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Igoudala, still with the team.
AAP