Andrew Bogut is well placed to become the first Australian to win NBA titles with two different clubs after agreeing to join superstar LeBron James at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bogut's agent David Bauman told The Associated Press that the 213cm centre planned to sign with the Cavaliers as soon as he cleared waivers.
He is expected to link up with the defending NBA champions by this weekend.
Bogut was traded at the deadline from Dallas to Philadelphia in a deal that brought Nerlens Noel to the Mavericks.
He and the 76ers agreed to part ways so Bogut could join a contender.
The Australian had attracted interest from several other franchises including Houston, Boston and San Antonio.
"The decision was a lot harder than he anticipated just because of the respect he had for everyone he spoke with," Bauman told the AP on Tuesday.
In the end, Bauman said Bogut felt Cleveland offered him the best chance to get back to the finals, where he could face the team that let him go before the season started.
The 32-year-old Bogut was an integral part of Golden State's back-to-back runs to the finals the previous two years, which included a championship in 2015.
The Warriors shipped him and Harrison Barnes to Dallas last summer to clear room for Kevin Durant, and Bogut might get another crack at them.
Bogut will give the Cavaliers a championship-tested, rim-protecting back-up to starter Tristan Thompson.
Bogut is the second significant addition the Cavaliers have been able to add this week.
Point guard Deron Williams, a teammate of Bogut's in Dallas this season, landed in Cleveland after being waived by the Mavericks.
Cleveland.com reported that both Bogut and Williams would make just $US407,000 ($US530,500) for the remainder of the season as the Cavs were already way over the salary cap.
Bogut has long been one of the better passers in the league, so he should fit in seamlessly with gun trio James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love - when he returns from knee surgery - on the offensive end as well.
Bogut averaged 3.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in 26 games this season for the Mavericks.
Over an at-times injury-plagued NBA career, the former No.1 draft pick has averaged 10 points and 8.9 boards.
AUSTRALIAN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS:
3: Luc Longley (Chicago) 1996-98
1: Andrew Gaze (San Antonio) 1999, Patty Mills (San Antonio) 2014, Aron Baynes (San Antonio (2014), Andrew Bogut (Golden State) 2015, Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland) 2016
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