Andrew Bogut's left tibia fracture has come at the worst possible time, both for his championship hopes and his impending free agency.
The 32-year-old went down just 58 seconds into his debut with Eastern Conference favourites Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, as the knee of Miami Heat's Okaro White went into his shin as he tried to close out the player.
Bogut immediately told teammates he had broken his leg, and scans at the stadium soon confirmed it. He is listed as being out "indefinitely". It seems likely the Cavaliers will replace him and continue their march to the play-offs.
Cavs superstar LeBron James said Bogut's loss took the air out of the Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland's home stadium.
"It's very deflating, a tough moment," James said. "We all were excited about the acquisition and bringing him in here. We can hope for the best, but it's a tough one not only for him, first of all, but for our ball club."
It is understood Bogut's prospects of a full recovery are quite good, even if he needs the four to six months of recovery that tibia fractures often require.
The plan, and the dream, for Bogut was to help the Cavaliers to a second straight NBA championship – and the Cavaliers needed him, as they lack a physical, defensive-minded centre outside of starting big man Tristan Thompson.
Bogut hoped to again show his ability to win play-off series and turn big games, after being injured for the final games of last year's NBA finals series.
Anyone who wants to call Bogut injury-prone is out of line, as all his major injuries have some from collisions or reckless acts from opponents. Tuesday's incident was innocuous and if he was a few millimetres back, their legs may not have made contact.
The injury also adds intrigue to Bogut's free agency during the upcoming off-season. If he needs six months to regain his fitness, that could see clubs reduce their interest.
His value as a selfless, championship-winning centre means he remains valuable and will have suitors, but whether they offer him a multi-year deal or try to low-ball him to a shorter-term contract remains to be seen.
Bogut has enjoyed a great career and has had NBA contracts worth almost $US100 million ($131.79 million) pre-tax. What will matter to the Australian big man is that he gets his body back to full health and finishes his NBA years on a high.
There will be suitors out there, and a move to a contender or a young side looking to burst into the top echelon will remain on the table.
Veteran centres such as Al Jefferson and Pau Gasol received multi-year deals worth more than $10 million a season during the off-season, and one would think a fit Bogut is in that region, but proving his health will be the key.
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