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With Kevin Durant making his decision to come west, the Golden State Warriors have reportedly agreed to trade center Andrew Bogut to the Dallas Mavericks.
Marc Stein of ESPN first reported that the Mavs had emerged as a suitor for Bogut within an hour after Durant announced his decision online. After a couple hours of negotiation rumors, Stein eventually reported that the Mavs agreed to absorb Bogut's $11 million salary into their cap space.
Sources say Dallas, furthermore, has emerged as a strong potential trade destination for Andrew Bogut, who the Warriors must now move.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 4, 2016
Dallas and Golden State have agreed to an Andrew Bogut trade, sources say
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 4, 2016
The trade to send Bogut into Dallas salary cap space, sources said, can't be officially completed until the league moratorium ends July 7
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 4, 2016
As written by Stein and Tim MacMahon in their story about the move, Bogut actually fills a need for the Mavericks as a rim protector who they can pair with Dirk Nowitzki. Bobby Marks of The Vertical has already laid out the Mavericks' cap situation that allows them to simply absorb Bogut into their cap space.
For the Warriors, there isn't much for us to discuss here in terms of implications: with the Warriors adding Durant, trading either Bogut or Andre Iguodala was a necessity financially and moving the oft-injured center who was ineffective late in the playoffs just made more sense. But that shouldn't diminish Bogut's role in the Warriors' recent run of success: he was the big man the Warriors seemed to be searching for forever and played a huge role in anchoring the middle of an elite defense for the two-time finalists.
With the Warriors also needing to renounce other free agents to make the Durant move work — including Festus Ezeli — they'll now need to find ways to fill out their frontcourt rotation. First round pick Damian Jones suddenly becomes even more important than he was at the time of the draft and some of the centers on the Warriors' summer league roster might now have a legitimate chance to earn a spot with a strong showing. Another name to keep an eye on? Veteran center Jermaine O'Neal, who sat out the last two seasons after starting in 13 games for the Warriors during the 2013-14 season.
Speaking of centers the Warriors could get: I'm told Jermaine O'Neal is game for a return to Warriors
— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) July 4, 2016
There's clearly more work to be done here, but at this moment — hours after the Durant news broke — it's hard to lament much of anything.