A high stakes feud has erupted between two of the NBL's biggest clubs after Andrew Bogut cast doubt over the legitimacy of Melbourne United’s offer to new Sydney Kings star Casper Ware.

Ware, who led United to its first NBL championship, rejected what Melbourne officials claimed to be the "biggest offer" in franchise history to sign a multi-year deal with the glamour Kings.

'BIGGEST OFFER’: WARE SPURNS UNITED FOR KINGS

LUXURY: BOGUT STEPS IN FOR INJURED COUSINS

SWOOP: HOW KINGS STOLE BOGUT FROM UNITED


Casper Ware started last season as Andrew Bogut’s rival. He’s now his teammate. Picture: Getty Images
But the outspoken Kings marquee Bogut, who Melbourne missed on last year after its negotiations fell through with the NBA champion, questioned the validity of United chief Vince Crivelli’s claim.

“They claim that they offered him (Ware) their biggest deal in the history of their club, which I wouldn’t really believe, coming from their CEO, but we just felt that he was on the table,” Bogut told the Herald Sun from the US.

“We were shocked at it, to be honest, that he was still available, that he wasn’t wrapped up immediately when free agency opened or even had conversations and, from what we heard, he hadn’t.”


Ware and Bogut went head-to-head in last season’s playoffs. Picture: AAP

United boss Vince Crivelli has taken umbrage at Bogut’s comments. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis
Crivelli was contacted about Bogut’s allegations but the blindsided United boss did not wish to comment publicly.

The Herald Sun was told Crivelli intends to take up the matter privately with Bogut and could explore legal options.

Less than a year ago, talks with Bogut to join the then-reigning champions Melbourne broke down after the club’s terms included the prospect of controlling his intellectual property.

Melbourne-born Golden State Warrior Bogut went on to sign a two-year deal with the Kings, which included a lucrative stake in the franchise.


Bogut is spending the NBL off-season trying to win another NBA title with the Golden State Warriors. Picture: AP
Bogut’s Kings were beaten by United in the playoffs but, after swiping Ware and Craig Moller last week, the NBL’s most valuable player has stoked the cross-border rivalry.

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“Whether you’re playing basketball or ping pong, Melbourne and Sydney hate each other, this (Ware’s move) adds more fuel to the fire,” Bogut said.

“We thought he’d laugh at getting a call from us, especially with the rivalry, but he was great to deal with, I had a chat with him personally when it all was about to get wrapped up.

“We didn’t think we had a chance (to get Ware), we thought Melbourne would wrap that up straight away and now their loss is our gain.”

If you're prepared to waste money on legal means just because someone said something you didn’t like, you’ve got more money than sense.

Bogut didn't need to make that comment. Its not like United's statement was made in a negative way nor in anyway against Ware.

Why dies Bogut see the need to stir up trouble?

Nonetheless its not worth legal action.

Maybe they can replace that sign in their stadium with the message "Go hard or go to your lawyer"

Maybe Bogut wants to be known as the biggest offer in franchise history for Melbourne and didn't like Casper attracting more coin that if he went to Melbourne.

I hope this threat of legal action is just an embarrassing stunt for media attention to fuel the rivalry. Either way, it seems pathetic and desperate.

So Bogut is a loudmouth twat, what else is new.
Presumably he rejected the Melbourne offer because it included a "no dickhead comments" clause.

As I said at the time, such claims of "biggest offer in history" are open to interpretation. Its pointless hyperbole.
But as usual, there was no need for Bogut to open his big mouth and make trouble. Ware left for more money, simples.

Crevelli has said that he would address the matter privately with Bogut. Maybe Bogut could learn something from that. Any talk of legal action is a beat up IMHO.

So Bogut is a loudmouth twat, what else is new.

If you ever want to read something behind a paywall, copy and paste the link into this site:

https://outline.com/

OMG we gonna silence the best voice in the comp now?

Crevelli u a tool.

He has an opinion & it's good for Oz basketball.

Sick of the puusies running around these days...

He's the poster boy for the quality of LK's appointments around the league. *cringe*

"I hope this threat of legal action is just an embarrassing stunt for media attention"

what threat? The article is a beat-up, pure and simple.

Anyone who reads "was told Crivelli intends to take up the matter privately with Bogut and could explore legal options" and interprets that as threatening a law suit surely would also interpret "the outspoken Kings marquee Bogut" as calling Bogut a bigmouth.

I can imagine a phone conversation something like this:

Herald Sun: "Hi Vince. Hey, Bogut reckons you made this up about Casper's offer being the biggest ever. Whadda ya say to that?"

Crivelli: "He what?"

Herald Sun: "He said he didn't believe it because it was you who said it, Vince."

Crivelli: "Hmm, I think I'd better have a chat with him before I shoot my mouth off in public. Make sure he said what you're saying he did."

Herald Sun: "So when he confirms it will you get the lawyers onto him?"

Crivelli: "Lawyers? I suppose I could ask them whether I should ask him for a retraction, if he did make me out as a liar."

Herald Sun: "Thanks, Vince! That's just what we needed." Covers phone and yells "Stop the presses - I gotta scoop!"

Slow thread day.
Any free agent news or something else remotely interesting?

PeterJohn, how would you interpret "could explore legal options"? The story does seem so ridiculous that a beat-up would be the best scenario. Journos have a record of running with any conflict that comes from Bogut's straight-talking style.