Andrew Bogut has departed the imploding Los Angeles Lakers in search of another NBA title.
The Lakers announced on Saturday they had waived Bogut after the 33-year-old Australian centre asked to leave the team.
The timing was critical as Bogut's one-year, $US2.3 million contract was just one day from becoming fully guaranteed, letting the Lakers off the hook financially.
"We're gonna miss him, obviously," Lakers coach Luke Walton, who praised Bogut's veteran leadership, said after practice on Saturday.
In September, on the eve of the 2017/18 NBA season, Bogut was in talks with two other playoff-calibre teams but they baulked at signing him so he committed to the rebuilding Lakers.
The interested teams were reportedly the NBA's eastern conference powers, the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I'm sure other teams out there that know what he's capable of, he'll end up in a good situation," Walton, who was an assistant coach on Bogut's 2015 championship winning Golden State Warriors, said.
The big Australian became an NBA journeyman when the Warriors shipped him to the Dallas Mavericks in 2016 to clear salary cap space for prized All-Star recruit Kevin Durant.
Dallas then traded Bogut mid-season to the Philadelphia 76ers who immediately sent him to Cleveland.
Bogut infamously broke his leg just 58 seconds into his debut game with the Cavs.
The Lakers have the second worst record in the NBA this season, winning just 11 of their 38 games and are on a nine-game losing streak.
Their past two games have been humiliating lopsided losses on their home court to the Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Lakers rookie Kyle Kuzma admitted the team "gave up" during the 37-point loss to the Thunder.
Bogut went public with the tumult churning inside the Lakers' locker room, telling reporters last month the players were frustrated and aware team management was planning to shed the roster in an attempt to attract All-Star free agent recruits next season.
Bogut struggled for court time at the Lakers, averaging just 1.5 points, three rebounds and nine minutes in 24 games.
Bogut told AAP last week he was eyeing the medal podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the perfect stage to end his basketball playing career.
