NBA Q&A: Andrew Bogut
Posted by Unknown on Saturday, October 26, 2013 with No comments
Courtesy of Sam Amick
Q. So before we get into the extension, I hear you're on a mission to bring the NBA to Australia.
A. "Yeah, I mean it's the only place left that hasn't had any NBA interaction, and that's sad in my opinion. I know it's not a country with a billion people or preferred sponsorships or whatever it is, but I think the time is coming that we deserve an NBA game there for the fans. What a lot of people don't know is that on the NBA international League Pass, I think Australia is No. 1 in the world I believe, outside of the states. And I believe they're No. 1, I think, in international merchandise sales. So the NBA is making a lot from Australia, and it'd be a pretty good thing for them to have a game out there in the coming years.
"I think it's something that should be looked at. The NBA is really trying to globalize the game, and really selling that. I've been to China twice now, and the message is 'We love this game, and the NBA is global.' Well I believe Australia and New Zealand haven't had that experience yet, so it'd definitely be a great experience. And look, I'm not going to be selfish. Even if it's not the Golden State Warriors, so be it. It'd be nice if I would go, but I just want the fans to experience an NBA game in Australia."
Q. I'm sure your folks at home appreciate your view there. To jump to the extension, you'd said the other day that you were confident about your health and this wasn't a case of locking up a deal just in case you got hurt. So where exactly was your head at on this?
A. "It was one of those things where, look, to be honest, on the open market, if I have a good year this year I could probably make two or three or four (million) more a year, but the question I asked myself is, 'When is enough enough?' I like to be a pretty settled person. I don't like moving around too much. I didn't want to play a season out with trade talks because of being an expiring contract and being a valuable trade asset, and not knowing what the future holds for me. I'm very homely, so that was a part of it.
"It's a pretty fair deal for both parties. I think we came to a common ground, and I think it was fair. Look, I think – would I have liked more money? Yes. Would they have liked to pay me less? Yes. But it's a common ground that's fair for both parties, and I was never going to be a guy that knocked on their door and said, 'Look, give me this money or I'm out of here.' I think we both handled it pretty professionally, and we came to a good deal."
Q. So this whole thing comes just a few months after the whole world knew the Warriors were trying to land Dwight Howard. How were you able to not get consumed with that and have that affect the relationship between you and the team?
A. "It is what it is, man. He's a potential Hall of Famer, the best big man in the league right now. Look, if I was a GM, I probably would've looked at doing it. But was I pissed off? Yeah, a little bit, but that's the way business is. We're going to put that behind us. I didn't take it personal, I'm not thinking about it right now. They're showing their faith in me with the contract extension, and I've kind of moved on from that…Teams are trying to get better and make moves, and you can't fault them for that."
Q. Your deal gets a whole lot bigger (approximately $42 million) if you hit some of these incentives, so how did you see that?
A. "If I hit them, it's because we're winning and that's my main goal. I'm just trying to win and get this team further and further in the playoffs than we have been. I think taking less (his deal declines in annual salary in order to help the Warriors' financial flexibility going forward) in the future is a sign that (he wants to win). Whoever is next (for a contract, as in Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes for possible extensions the next two summers, respectively) let's hope they take less and we can keep our core group together for many, many years. I believe that's the recipe for success in the NBA. You look at OKC (the Oklahoma City Thunder) and what they've done – they've done that because they've been together for a long, long time…Good teams stay together, and I believe for us to be good…everyone has to kind of give up a little to get more."
A. "Yeah, I mean it's the only place left that hasn't had any NBA interaction, and that's sad in my opinion. I know it's not a country with a billion people or preferred sponsorships or whatever it is, but I think the time is coming that we deserve an NBA game there for the fans. What a lot of people don't know is that on the NBA international League Pass, I think Australia is No. 1 in the world I believe, outside of the states. And I believe they're No. 1, I think, in international merchandise sales. So the NBA is making a lot from Australia, and it'd be a pretty good thing for them to have a game out there in the coming years.
"I think it's something that should be looked at. The NBA is really trying to globalize the game, and really selling that. I've been to China twice now, and the message is 'We love this game, and the NBA is global.' Well I believe Australia and New Zealand haven't had that experience yet, so it'd definitely be a great experience. And look, I'm not going to be selfish. Even if it's not the Golden State Warriors, so be it. It'd be nice if I would go, but I just want the fans to experience an NBA game in Australia."
Q. I'm sure your folks at home appreciate your view there. To jump to the extension, you'd said the other day that you were confident about your health and this wasn't a case of locking up a deal just in case you got hurt. So where exactly was your head at on this?
A. "It was one of those things where, look, to be honest, on the open market, if I have a good year this year I could probably make two or three or four (million) more a year, but the question I asked myself is, 'When is enough enough?' I like to be a pretty settled person. I don't like moving around too much. I didn't want to play a season out with trade talks because of being an expiring contract and being a valuable trade asset, and not knowing what the future holds for me. I'm very homely, so that was a part of it.
"It's a pretty fair deal for both parties. I think we came to a common ground, and I think it was fair. Look, I think – would I have liked more money? Yes. Would they have liked to pay me less? Yes. But it's a common ground that's fair for both parties, and I was never going to be a guy that knocked on their door and said, 'Look, give me this money or I'm out of here.' I think we both handled it pretty professionally, and we came to a good deal."
Q. So this whole thing comes just a few months after the whole world knew the Warriors were trying to land Dwight Howard. How were you able to not get consumed with that and have that affect the relationship between you and the team?
A. "It is what it is, man. He's a potential Hall of Famer, the best big man in the league right now. Look, if I was a GM, I probably would've looked at doing it. But was I pissed off? Yeah, a little bit, but that's the way business is. We're going to put that behind us. I didn't take it personal, I'm not thinking about it right now. They're showing their faith in me with the contract extension, and I've kind of moved on from that…Teams are trying to get better and make moves, and you can't fault them for that."
Q. Your deal gets a whole lot bigger (approximately $42 million) if you hit some of these incentives, so how did you see that?
A. "If I hit them, it's because we're winning and that's my main goal. I'm just trying to win and get this team further and further in the playoffs than we have been. I think taking less (his deal declines in annual salary in order to help the Warriors' financial flexibility going forward) in the future is a sign that (he wants to win). Whoever is next (for a contract, as in Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes for possible extensions the next two summers, respectively) let's hope they take less and we can keep our core group together for many, many years. I believe that's the recipe for success in the NBA. You look at OKC (the Oklahoma City Thunder) and what they've done – they've done that because they've been together for a long, long time…Good teams stay together, and I believe for us to be good…everyone has to kind of give up a little to get more."
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