Kelley L. Cox – USA Today Sports Images
Andrew Bogut and the Golden State Warriors are in somewhat unfamiliar territory with one another as they head into the 2013-2014 NBA season. With two months remaining before the first regular season games of the season, Bogut is actually 100 percent healthy, something that they weren’t able to say last summer as Bogut went through another injury-plagued season.
The injury bug has been an incessant pest to Bogut since he entered the league. Since entering the NBA in 2005, Bogut has played more than 70 games just twice and has missed 45 or more games in three separate seasons, including last year when he was out for 50 games with Golden State.
However, with Bogut healthy, the Warriors plan to take off the kiddie gloves with him and treat him according to his bill of health. According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Warriors don’t plan to limit his minutes. In the report, manager Bob Myers said “I think the initial though is he is healthy, and play him as much is you want.” Myers then continued to say that they aren’t going to be concerned about his health until something comes up.
It’s understandable why the Warriors would want to have Bogut on the floor as much as possible. Not only is he their big defensive anchor in the post, but Bogut is also an effective offensive player whose size can cause a lot of problems for opposing defenses. Some might deem the decision unwise, though, considering Bogut’s injury history. He may be a player that simply can only play limited minutes.
In the end, though, it feels like it’s definitely worth the risk to take the reins off of Bogut this season. With the addition of Andre Iguodala and a solid young core, this is a Warriors team that could be a dark-horse contender to win the Western Conference. That’s not going to happen, though, if Bogut still has to play a limited role. In the interest of this team going far this year, the team is making the right choice.
Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google and like his Facebook page.
Related:
Golden State Warriors Should Decrease David Lee’s Playing Time
Golden State Warriors Need Stephen Curry to Take Next Step, Improve Defensively
Golden State Warriors Player Profile: Harrison Barnes
