Could the Golden State Warriors be bringing back a familiar face after all?
According to head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors would welcome back Andrew Bogut with open arms once his contract in the Australian Basketball League runs out this season — which would be the exact same scenario as what transpired at the end of the 2018-19 season.
Via Matt Logue of The Daily Telegraph:
"“We loved having Bogues at the Warriors last year,” said Kerr, via Matt Logue of The Daily Telegraph. “I think it was really good for him to play in Sydney. Part of that was just being home. It is a better lifestyle than the NBA and it is a better schedule. Where he is in his career, that is much better for him physically and mentally. So I thought he was very refreshed when he came back to the NBA and he made an immediate impact. But yeah, (Bogues returning to the NBA) is something that I’d be into again. Andrew just seems rejuvenated to me. From a few years ago to now, he is playing better than he has in years.” "
Bogut also is open to the idea of returning to the Warriors for another run, as he stated earlier this year.
“If something happens where I am healthy and feeling good at the end of the next NBL year, and they call again and want to do it, I’m all ears,” Bogut said in April.
Bogut spent the majority of the 2018-19 campaign with the Sydney Kings before signing with the Warriors in March — right after his commitment with the Kings ended.
The former No. 1 overall pick — and the team’s starting center during their 2014-15 title run — appeared in 11 games with five starts while averaging 12.2 minutes per game this past season. He continued to see spot duty during the team’s postseason run, appearing in 19 of the team’s 22 playoff games — starting six of them — while averaging 9.9 minutes per game.
During his five total seasons with the team — a stint that originally began during the 2012-13 season — Bogut averaged 6.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while starting 235 of the 247 games he appeared in for the team.
He also has 72 postseason appearances with the Warriors to add to his name. This is imperative considering Golden State’s current depth chart of centers — Willie Cauley-Stein and Omari Spellman — have zero total postseason appearances on their resume.
Considering the team is going through a massive makeover — the Warriors lost key veterans Kevin Durant, Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala in the offseason — it can’t hurt to have a veteran presence like Bogut back in the fold, especially considering the limited spot duty and not having to play the entire 82-game season keeps the 34-year-old veteran fresh.
In the NBL League, they play just 28 regular season games — a massive disparity between the NBA’s regular season.
Bogut has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers during his playing career.
With members from the core gone permanently in Durant, Iguodala and Livingston, why not bring back the former No. 1 overall selection?
