Sam Amick

USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES – When Andrew Bogut was shipped off to Dallas four months ago, his trade from the Golden State Warriors to the Mavericks a necessary salary cap precursor to their free agent signing of Kevin Durant, he had a choice to make: jump on his high horse, or take the high road?

He chose the latter.

From the time he was traded from Milwaukee to the Warriors in March of 2012 to the July 7 day he left, Bogut – literally and figuratively – had been at the center of the NBA’s most surprising story. He anchored a defense that grew to become one of the league’s best, helping the Warriors win the 2014-15 title and go an unprecedented 73-9 last season before they blew that 3-1 lead to Cleveland in the Finals. But in the end, as the Warriors saw this rare chance to add another former MVP to their superstar mix, Bogut was seen as dispensable. Yet every time the 31-year-old big man was asked about the move, he chocked it up to the business of basketball, raved about his new surroundings, and moved on his muted way.

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With the Mavericks set to face the Warriors for the first time on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena – a reunion for Bogut and former Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes – the Aussie who has always despised political correctness returned to his candid ways. In a conversation with USA TODAY Sports that took place after the Mavericks’ win over the Lakers, he discussed the disappointing nature of his departure, the way his name was soiled on the way out after a Game 5 knee injury in the Finals ended his season early, his observations of the Warriors’ early struggles without him (while they’re 5-2, they’re also ranked 19th in defense), and the question of what it will feel like to be back in the building he called his basketball home for the past four seasons.

Q: So what are the odds of getting some candid perspective from you on seeing the Warriors again? I know you’ve been tempered with your comments about their decision to do what they did, but I’ve wondered all the way through deep down how you really saw it.

A: “I mean there’s no doubt it’s disappointing to leave one of the best teams – record-wise, those last two years … you leave a team like that and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was bitter in a way. I wasn’t mad at anybody about it. I understood it completely. I’m not stupid.

“But yeah, you’re disappointed leaving guys who you battled for a championship with, and guys where everyone understood their role and it was just fun to play and be a part of that team, because every day you came in to work and everyone kind of knew their role and accepted it. It was just cool to be part of that every day. It was just automatic. You didn’t have to do any extra (expletive). That was probably the (most fun) part of it, was it was just so automatic for two years.”

Q: I know hypotheticals are a media thing, but indulge me here. If Kevin (Durant) isn’t a free agent, and they just decide to bring all you guys back and do it again, was that group in the kind of place psychologically to get back up and keep rolling?

A: “I think so. I mean like I said, I think the move was to go a lot more long term, but we went to (seven) games in the NBA Finals … up 3-1, we’re a couple of minutes away (from winning it all) in Game 6 and Kyrie (Irving) hits a hell of a shot in Game 7. That’s the way it goes. But (the Cavs) were on the same side the year before.

“We (the Warriors) peaked pretty quickly. For us to go from the second round (of the playoffs in 2013) to first-round elimination (in 2014) and (Warriors coach Steve) Kerr comes in and wins a championship, nobody expected that. People thought it was going to be (the Warriors) having your battles, maybe go second round, then conference finals and lose. But we got there. That’s sport, man. They saw a vision where they wanted to get one of the best players in the world (in Durant), and they already had the best player in the world, and that’s the way it goes.”

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Q: You took some hits on the way out of town, though. Your durability was questioned …

A: “Oh, who cares? I don’t care.”

Q: Even though it seemed like it was coming from the inside (of the Warriors)?

A: “But that’s how it is. I don’t buy into the sources thing. I don’t buy into all that (expletive), because this league is so two-faced and everybody is so fake. The same people who made those comments will see me tomorrow and shake my hand and ask me how my family is. This league is full of people who are full of (expletive) and shallow, and that’s what you figure out in pro sports. It’s very hard to meet a genuine person who you can call your friend in this league. That’s just the reality, and I understand that.

“People can take parting shots. I didn’t have a great Finals series obviously, with the injury, and finish off the way I wanted to, but that’s the way it goes. I’m not bitter about it. I could have played better definitely, especially on the offensive end. But I think defensively that I provided something for them that really helped that team win games.”

Q: How much have you watched them, and what do you see on the defensive end – where they’ve been struggling?

A: “I haven’t seen a lot of games. I’ve seen two halves. I saw the San Antonio game, and I saw the Lakers game (both losses). Moving and stuff (from the Bay Area to Dallas), and getting League Pass set up, doesn’t help. It’s an adjustment for them. Obviously (Warriors forward) Draymond (Green), we had a really good sync defensively where when he got beat I was there. When I got beat, he was there, and it was automatic. We didn’t have to talk about it. It was just reads. We knew how to play, and Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) did a good job of funneling guys to me and Draymond. Obviously they have to adjust to that when they go small now.

“I think OKC exposed us a little bit last season (in the seven-game conference finals) when we went small and they went big. They kind of exposed it. They went the anti-death lineup, which was staying true to who they were and should have beaten us hypothetically, so I think they’ll figure it out. I think it’s a long season. The season is too long. They’ll get in a groove here pretty soon, I’m pretty sure. Hopefully it’s not (on Wednesday night).”

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Q: Any emotions for you being back there?

A: “No emotions. I’m good. Just go to work, try to get the win. Obviously it’s (one of) the toughest places to play in the league, and I’ll probably be more thankful when it’s all over. It’s going to be a circus … It’s going to be more draining than a regular game.”