Andrew Bogut's hopes of being a King extinguished

Andrew Bogut, reportedly having signed a $39 million dollar long term deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, confirmed the Kings were the only basketball franchise in the NBL he was prepared to play for as the fall out over a new player agreement in the NBA drags into a third month.

"It is very disappointing that I won't be playing for the Kings," a clearly dejected Bogut told media earlier today before the Kings tipped off their NBL season at home to defending champions the New Zealand Breakers.

"There had been a lot of work put in the background to get the deal done, the Kings have been very professional throughout to do the right thing, the way they have gone about putting their recruiting processes in place was very impressive, but in the end I couldn't get the required insurance against injury.

"I couldn't get the necessary cover if I was injured and was forced to be out for a year or 18 months."

Bogut fears the longer the NBA stand off drags on, the greater the chance it will alienate the fan base.

"It could take time and 10 times as much money in marketing to get those fans back," he said.

"I grew up in a working class family environment and I know just how important work values are, in this case (the lockout) there are more than just owners and players who are getting hurt, it goes all the way down the line."

When pressed as to why talks in United States over a new deal has dragged on, he said: "when it comes down to millionaires arguing about millions, the general public really doesn't give a stuff. Look deep down there has to be changes, because the game in the smaller markets in the US are really struggling".

Meanwhile, Bogut has been left to his own devices to keep himself match ready at his own training facility in his home town of Melbourne, should the impasse resolve in the short term.

"No great secret mate, I've been training five days a weeks in the gym, doing weights, cardio, I'm still a basketball player.

"The first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning what time I'm going to train," he said

.As to his future, he says he had "one more long-term deal” in him."But I can't see myself living in the United States anymore than 10 or 15 years," he said.