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Andrew Bogut's return to the Golden State Warriors after two-plus seasons since his trade to the Dallas Mavericks will require less-than-minimal tweaks to tune him back into gear. Head coach Steve Kerr expects the Australian center to fit right in with his old teammates, picking up where he once left off:
“He and Draymond have an amazing connection defensively, so they’re going to communicate when they’re out there at the same time,” Kerr said of Bogut, who will make his season debut Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, according to Connor LeTourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I think (Bogut) is well-suited to also mentor the younger guys — Looney, Jordan Bell.
“But as far as him fitting in, there’s zero adjustment. He’s a brilliant basketball player in terms of his mind and his feel, and we’re basically running the same stuff.”
Bogut's season debut with the team was skipped ahead after previously working under the expectation of seeing the court on Thursday for a home game against the Indiana Pacers. DeMarcus Cousins' second-half ankle/foot injury and the ensuing MRI has forced him out of the lineup, making this the right opportunity for Bogut to jump back into action.
Kerr, like many of the players, is expecting Bogut to play like he hasn't missed a practice in over two years:
“It just helps dramatically that he’s been here before,” Kerr said. “We’re basically running the same stuff that we ran when he was here… Maybe we added one or two things, but it was pretty easy.”
Whether it is his defensive presence, or his lauded sense of humor, Bogut should be a plug-and-play for this team upon hearing his number called on Monday night.
