Golden State Warriors

Andrew Bogut reportedly eligible to rejoin Warriors due to a loophole in NBA rules

Published Feb. 23, 2017 9:56 p.m. ET

Andre Vergara

Andrew Bogut, who went to the Finals with the Warriors for the past two seasons, was dealt from Dallas to Philadelphia on Thursday, and according to reports, the Sixers don't plan on keeping him around.

With the trade deadline passed, the Sixers likely will buy him out, leaving the 7-foot Australian free to sign with anyone — except the Warriors. At least, that's what everyone thought at first.

https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/834811653363531776

That's because Golden State traded him last July, and the NBA has a rule that prohibits teams from trading a player and then re-signing him during the same league year. It's known as the Zydrunas Ilgauskas rule, after the Cleveland Cavaliers traded their longtime center in 2010, then re-signed him when Washington bought him out. Other teams didn't like it, so the NBA upped the restricted period from 30 days to a year.

However, the Vertical's Bobby Marks, a former assistant GM, pointed out that because Dallas was the last team to trade Bogut, he's actually eligible to rejoin Golden State this season if he becomes a free agent.

https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/834913577605730304

https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/834915258833698817

https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/834915518196957184

And NBA sources confirmed to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski that Marks' interpretation is correct.

https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/834944469644492800

Now, just because Bogut possibly could return to the Warriors doesn't mean he will. Wojnarowski reports that Golden State is "undecided on its Bogut interest", and reporters who cover the Warriors indicate it's unlikely.

https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/834944869931995138

https://twitter.com/timkawakami/status/834920946829946880

https://twitter.com/MontePooleCSN/status/834952882059272194

If all this isn't interesting enough for Warriors fans, there's this:

https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/status/834897002269917184

If the Cavs wind up with Bogut and Deron Williams, FS1's Shannon Sharpe predicts one outcome:

https://twitter.com/ShannonSharpe/status/834910797994176512

Why does everything eventually end up Cavs vs. Warriors?