Australian NBA star Andrew Bogut's union with Cleveland Cavaliers was officially closed on Tuesday when they waived the injured centre 11 days after he signed with the club.
NBA teams can only keep 15 players on their roster so once Bogut's fractured tibia was confirmed, the Cavs needed to bring in a replacement as the veteran begins his recovery which could take up to six months.
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Bogut fractures leg in Cavs debut
Australian NBA centre Andrew Bogut has fractured his left tibia in what was his debut game for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Former Milwaukee Bucks centre Larry Sanders has signed on as Bogut's replacement and returns to the NBA after taking early retirement following a suspension two years ago for marijuana use.
Best of luck @l8show_thegoat Will be watching.
— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) March 13, 2017
Bogut won't require surgery and is expected to return to Australia for rehabilitation in a bid to recover in time for the 2017-18 NBA season start in October.
He been brought in to give Cavaliers championship-tested rim-protection as a back-up to starting centre Tristan Thompson, who's workload surged with a long-term injury to fellow big man Kevin Love.
Being waived will have little impact on Bogut's path towards next season as he was destined to be a free agent this offseason due to being on the final year of his contract.
Bogut was traded to Philadelphia 76ers at the NBA trade deadline and they negotiated a "buy out" of Bogut's contract making him a free agent.
He then signed with the Cavaliers for the remainder of the NBA season and the playoffs.
Bogut will be looking to secure a multi-year deal with a new club once free agency opens.
There remains the possibility Bogut's injury could reduce his chance of scoring a three or four year deal but as long as his leg looks strong when he has his medical assessments next year, there is still a strong chance he could snare a lucrative deal as he is still among the best defensive and best passing centres in the NBA.
There also won't be too many centres on the market who can match Bogut's championship-winning experience.
There is also a case to be made about whether he is best as a starting centre or as an impact player off the bench, but it's likely Bogut will be in demand among clubs chasing a championship just as he was before signing with Cleveland as Houston, Boston and a couple of others reportedly made offers for his services.
Bogut will now focus on regaining his full health and putting himself in position to prove he can handle the grind of a full length NBA championship chase, and having the next six months to do recovery work and refresh his other limbs may even prolong his career.
with AAP