Andrew Bogut, Andrew Bogut injury
Mar 6, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers centre Andrew Bogut (6) lays on the floor after being injured during the first half against the Miami Heat at Quicken Loans Arena. USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze

Australian big man Andrew Bogut is close to recovering from a knee injury and intends to sign with a "winning club" as a free agent ahead of the 2017-18 NBA season. In March, Bogut had fractured his left tibia barely seconds into his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The renowned rim protector is recovering faster than anticipated and is actively involved in the ongoing NBA Free Agency 2017 market. Bogut said Wednesday that he is speaking to multiple NBA teams in pursuit of a new home. “I’ll 100% get a phone call; I’m talking to three or four teams right now,” the 32-year-old told SEN Radio.

With most teams close to reaching their salary cap floor, Bogut realises that he would most likely have to sign a Veteran Minimum contract or a Mid Level Exception (MLE) which would pay him considerably lesser than his US$12 million (AU$15.8 million) per year salary with the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks. After being bought out by the Mavs, Bogut joined the Cavaliers on the veteran minimum wage.

Andrew Bogut: 'Money won't be number one driver'

“They’re all competitive and winning clubs. I’m hoping a few more sneak in there once a few more players have settled. Money won’t be the number one driver, there are other factors I’m looking at, such as role and winning. The first step was to flick over the x-rays and scans, so they’ve got all those. Now it is about discussing terms and length of contract. The teams are waiting on a couple of guys, so they know the exact cap space," added Bogut, who helped the Warriors win the 2015 NBA championship.

According to ESPN's Mark Stein, Bogut is just a few weeks away from being cleared for full basketball activities. “I’m feeling really good. I got cleared two and a half weeks ago to start jogging; I’m half way through that phase. Two and a half weeks from this week, I should be fully 100 percent fit, ready to jump up and down and do the heavy loading stuff. I’m pretty excited because it is way ahead of schedule," said Bogut, who has averaged 10 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game over the course of his 12-year career.

Andrew Bogut was averaging 3.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Mavericks before getting shipped out during February's NBA Trade Deadline. Despite his waning athleticism, Bogut could prove to be a critical member for a playoff contender or NBA championship contender. Stay tuned for the latest news and updates on NBA Free Agency 2017.