Multiple media outlets announced several minutes ago that the Warriors have re-signed Andrew Bogut to a 3-year, suggested $43 million extension.
Andrew Bogut has agreed to a three-year, $43 million extension with Golden State, league source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 25, 2013
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This comes after reports over the past several weeks and words spoken by Bogut himself that the two sides were talking. Bogut mentioned in an interview with NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper that if a deal wasn’t struck prior to the season then he would play out the year and audition for other suitors.
Bogut who hasn’t been healthy the past few seasons after a gruesome elbow injury followed by an ankle injury which kept him out of action before being hampered with lower back issues all season long last year. A rejuvenated Bogut showed up in the playoffs to the surprise of everyone and anchored an otherwise not spectacular Warriors defense. Prior to Bogut’s back spasm on the teams tour to the Far East earlier this month all signs suggested that Bogut was 100% healthy and moving better than ever all summer and training camp long.
As mentioned in a very insightful piece by our own @poormanscommish, locking Bogut up now is another sign of good faith from the front office and the Lacob/Guber group. Stephen Curry got a deal last year around this time and now Bogut gets rewarded. Rewarding their Aussie big man now rather than later is a sign of good will after Bogut was dangled in the Warriors widely reported attempt to recruit Dwight Howard. Howard is the elite player at his position so it was a necessary business venture worth looking into. Now that that is over with the Warriors have done good by Bogut locking him up now and assuring any pending free agency would not effect the chemistry of this team as it looks to build on their first playoff run since 2007.
The 28-year old Bogut would have certainly commanded a hefty price in free agency and there isn’t going to be any available players at the position to replace what Bogut brings to the table no matter the cost. When healthy Bogut is a one of the best defensive Centers in the league and was voted All-NBA 3rd Team in 2010. If he can be on the court for 65+ games the next few year consistently he along with newly acquired Andre Iguodala will make the Warriors a defensive force for years to come.
The initially reported price is certainly more hefty than one would have expected, but full details have yet to come so we’ll stay tuned as this story develops.
USA Today’s Sam Amick and Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski suggest that the base of Bogut’s deal is 3-years $36 million which would make much more sense with the earlier suggested $43 being reached based on incentives.
Base of Andrew Bogut extension with Warriors is three years for $36 million, I'm told, with incentives potentially taking it higher.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) October 25, 2013
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Bogut has signed three-year deal with a base salary of $36 million, sources tell Yahoo Sports. Incentives can push total deal to $42M-plus.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 25, 2013
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$12 million per year for a franchise big is a steal especially when you consider Bogut, when healthy, is elite at his position. The potential extra $7 million he could reach as incentives will be an easy price to pay for the benefit of having an elite Center. Health as always is the issue, but as mentioned earlier the Warriors were rewarded for overlooking Curry’s health concerns and not allowing him to enter free agency. Hopefully this is a repeat as the franchise deserves a little good fortune after years, better yet decades of misery. Only time will tell, but things are looking bright in the Golden State.
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