Bogut hungry for more
CALL them greedy, but Andrew Bogut and his Golden State Warriors are hungry for another NBA Championship.
The Australian centre and his teammates held court at their base in Oakland, California, yesterday for a media day to launch an assault on backto-back championships.
The Warriors are not surprised many bookmakers, reporters and NBA analysts have pencilled the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs in as the teams expected to make the 2015-16 finals.
“More motivation for us,” said Bogut, ready to prove the naysayers wrong.
The Warriors’ NBA MVP Steph Curry agreed.
“It’s about not staying comfortable with being where we are,” the guard said.
The Cavaliers, at odds of around $3.25, are the bookies’ favourites to win the title, the Spurs are second at $4.50 while the Warriors are third at $5.
If it is a Cavaliers-Spurs championship series it remains great news for Australian sport with Matthew Dellavedova returning to the Cavs and Patty Mills back in San Antonio.
The Spurs lost another Australian, forward Aron Baynes, who cashed in with a threeyear, $US20 million deal to join the Detroit Pistons who are given long odds of $150 to win the title.
It was a huge pay rise for Baynes, who earned $US2 million last year with the Spurs and ended their failed playoff run on the bench.
Mills will again be a valuable member of Gregg Popovich’s Spurs, coming in as backup to 33-year-old All-Star point guard Tony Parker.
Popovich credited Mills’ ability to come off the bench and allow Parker a rest as one of the keys in their 2013/14 championship win.
The Spurs were the winners of the NBA’s free agency, adding four-time All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge with a four-year $US80 million deal that will have him playing alongside the great Tim Duncan and NBA Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard.
Dellavedova was a hero early in the Cavs’ championship battle with the Warriors, but faded in the final three games and apparently so did his free agency stock.
The tough point guard from country Victoria was reportedly looking for a $US4 million-a year deal, but eventually resigned with the Cavs for one year and $US1.2 million.
Another NBA title contender, the Chicago Bulls, has an Australian flavour with forward Cameron Bairstow back from injury.
The Utah Jazz, longshots for the title, lost Australian guard Dante Exum who tore his ACL while playing for the Boomers in a game in Europe.
Fellow Aussie Joe Ingles will be back for the Jazz after signing a two-year $US4.5 million deal. The NBA pre-season begins on Friday.