Cavaliers Plan To Waive Andrew Bogut

As expected, Andrew Bogut‘s stint with the Cavaliers will end after just 58 seconds of game action. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net report that Cleveland intends to waive Bogut soon in order to open up a spot on the team’s 15-man roster. The team figures to fill that roster opening with another player, despite the luxury tax ramifications.

Early in his first appearance as a Cavalier, Bogut went down with a leg injury that was later diagnosed as a broken tibia. The Cavaliers issued a press release today announcing that Bogut wouldn’t require surgery to repair the injury. However, the club ruled him out for the rest of the regular season and the postseason, suggesting that he should be recovered in time to participate in an NBA training camp. Per McMenamin, the former No. 1 overall pick intends to rehabilitate his leg injury in his native Australia.

The Cavs had hoped to lean on Bogut for size, rim protection, rebounding, and veteran experience down the stretch and in the playoffs. Now, the they’ll have to look elsewhere for a 15th man. According to McMenamin, Cleveland is more likely to target a specific free agent and make an offer than to hold another audition for several free agents.

If the Cavs look to sign another big man, veterans like Anderson Varejao, Larry Sanders, Kendrick Perkins, Jared Sullinger, Carl Landry, and Luis Scola are among the names on the free agent market. If Cleveland is willing to go after a player with less experience, D-League standouts such as Walter Tavares, Keith Benson, and Eric Moreland could also be options.

According to McMenamin, the Cavs will likely make an adjustment to their roster after their upcoming road trip. The team will play in Detroit on Thursday, Orlando in Saturday, and Houston on Sunday. Although Bogut is out, the Cavs will likely get some reinforcements during that trip — J.R. Smith, out since December with a broken thumb, has been cleared to practice fully, and is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game.

The Cavs will take a financial hit by paying Bogut’s remaining salary and potentially adding another salary to their books, with tax penalties multiplying those charges. However, the cost won’t be exorbitant. As of today, a minimum salary deal for the rest of the season would count for about $208K on a team’s cap — the Cavs would also be on the hook for an extra tax payment of about $519K for such a deal.