Bogut lands with Cavaliers

Andrew Bogut has changed jerseys — and perhaps sides in the NBA Finals.

The free agent centre signed Thursday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, joining the team he faced the past two Junes with a championship on the line.

Bogut spent the past four seasons with the Golden State Warriors, who could be on a collision course to play the Cavs for the third straight year.

A lot of hoops will be played before that, but the seven-foot Bogut gives the Cavs another proven veteran to help them get back to the Finals and defend their title.

Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, is not expected to make his debut with Cleveland until next Monday when the Cavs host Miami. The Cavs are at Atlanta today and will finish a threegame trip against the Heat on Saturday.

Bogut deepens the Cavs up front as they await Kevin Love’s return from knee surgery. The 32-year-old Bogut, who is also one of the game’s best passing big men, will be motivated to try and get back to the Finals and face the Warriors, who traded him last summer to open salary cap space so they could sign Kevin Durant.

“‘He brings a physicality, a shot-blocking presence,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said on Wednesday in Boston before the Celtics beat Cleveland 10399. “A guy who can pass the ball at the 5 position and that’s what we needed.”

Bogut was recently traded to Philadelphia, which waived him. There were several teams interested in signing him for the remainder of the season, but he chose Cleveland, which signed his former Dallas teammate, guard Deron Williams, just a few days earlier.