Report: Andrew Bogut Seeking 76ers Release, Hopes To Join Cavaliers

Andrew Bogut is negotiating his release from the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorite to sign the Australian center, according to NBA sources.

Andrew Bogut Negotiating Sixers Release, Hopes to Join Cavs

Bogut, 32, is hoping to get released by Wednesday, which is the last day this season players can be released and remain playoff-eligible with their next team.

Sources told ESPN on Sunday that Bogut’s agent, David Bauman, and the Sixers remain in active buyout negotiations.

Dallas traded Bogut to Philadelphia on Thursday as part of the Nerlens Noel deal. ESPN reported later Thursday that the Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs were pursuing Bogut as long as he could convince the Sixers to release him.

Though he has a strong relationship with 76ers coach Brett Brown– formerly Bogut’s national team coach with Australia– the center has told Philadelphia officials that he is eager to join a playoff team if possible to compensate for all the time he has lost to injury this season with the Mavericks during what is a contract year for him.

Several illnesses held Bogut to 26 games with Dallas. A bone bruise in his knee and a hamstring strain particularly led Bogut to be sidelined for long stretches.

The Australian was the starting center on Golden State’s championship team in 2015 but was traded by the Warriors following last season’s seven-game loss to Cleveland in a Finals rematch as part of a payroll cleanse to create the needed salary-cap space to sign Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City. This same cleanse allowed the Mavericks to acquire Harrison Barnes, who has since become Dallas’ leading scorer.

Should Bogut choose the Cavaliers as expected, he would be rejecting a more lucrative offer from the Houston Rockets, who created an extra $3.5 million in spending money through two deadline-day trades Thursday to help their search for additional depth via the buyout market.

DALLAS, TX – OCTOBER 11: Andrew Bogut #6 of the Dallas Mavericks during a preseason game at American Airlines Center on October 11, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)