A healthy Bogut happy to link with youthful Lakers
ANDREW Bogut has arrived in Los Angeles and the big Australian joked that he hoped he would not go Hollywood.
Bogut made his debut in one of the LA Lakers’ iconic purple and gold singlets yesterday when the team held its media day at its new practice facility.
The 32- year- old Australian centre said he had been in contract talks with two other NBA teams, but when they failed to commit and when Lakers coach Luke Walton called him in Melbourne last week he signed with LA.
“The other two teams were pitter- pattering their feet,” Bogut said. “There wasn’t too much traction going on there.
“They were hanging me out to dry a little bit to wait and Luke called and said they had an offer for me.”
Walton, who coached Bogut at the championshipwinning Golden State Warriors, and Lakers president Magic Johnson were keen to add 213cm Bogut’s shot blocking, screens and defensive muscle to their young team.
The Lakers were one of the NBA’s worst defensive teams last season.
Bogut says he has fully recovered from a broken leg less than a minute into his debut last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and is ready to add veteran leadership to the young, brash Lakers, who feature 19- year- old rookie point guard Lonzo Ball.
Bogut rehabilitated his leg in Melbourne and only touched down in LA at the weekend.
“I’m fully cleared,” Bogut said.
“I’ve been working out the last six weeks.
“The only thing I haven’t really done is full contact five-on- five.”
The Lakers’ first pre- season game is against Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday and their regular season opener is a local match- up with the LA Clippers on October 19.