Before the latest season started, it was just assumed that Timofey Mozgov – the Russian center who provided the Cleveland Cavaliers with some much-needed paint protection last postseason – was in line for a big contract extension. He played a major role in the Cavs’ success after they traded for him last year, and some were even claiming he could receive a max offer after this season.
However, it’s unlikely anyone still thinks this could be the case now.
Mozgov has struggled through much of the season, in part due to what appears to be a slow recovery from offseason knee surgery. He hasn’t been nearly as tough a defender as he was last year, and has often been tentative when getting the ball down low. As a result, his minutes have dropped, with Cleveland even starting Tristan Thompson in his place more often than not.
The hope was this was just a funk he could play his way out of. That said, we’re almost at the halfway point of the season, and Mozgov still can’t seem to return to form. It’s been such a struggle that, unfortunately for him, his name is being tossed around the trade rumor mill.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Cavs have reportedly been calling teams about a potential deal for Mozgov. Specifics haven’t been given out yet in terms of who or what Cleveland would hope to get in return. Regardless, it’s pretty significant news considering Mozgov was once considered a crucial piece of the puzzle for the Cavs.
In addition to it being significant news, trading Mozgov would also be an incredibly significant risk for Cleveland.
To be fair, I completely understand why the Cavs would test the market for Mozgov. He’s been a liability more often than he’s been an asset, and the team can hardly afford to have him bullied in the post as often as he has been this year. Additionally, his struggles and loss of minutes have undoubtedly been a big blow to his confidence, something which was already shaky to begin with.
However, this hardly means the solution is to trade him. Depending on what the Cavs get back, dealing Mozgov could end up being tough to overcome.
The main problem is Cleveland already has limited depth down low. Thompson and Kevin Love are a solid combo in terms of starters. However, removing Mozgov from the equation leaves very little in terms of bench help at this position.
Right now, the only viable option off the bench is Anderson Varejao. However, he’s been getting limited minutes all season (if he even gets on the court at all) thanks to Cleveland still easing him back after last year’s Achilles tear. Even if he wasn’t coming off major surgery, Varejao is still known for being injury prone, and another season ender would only leave the Cavs’ frontcourt even shallower.
Behind him is the rarely used Russian Sasha Kaun. Anyone who’s seen Kaun in his limited play this season, however, has quickly realized he’s hardly ready to be relied on at this point.
Of course, the one caveat here is that, if Cleveland does want to trade Mozgov, it’s a deal centered around getting a rim protector in return. I’d like to think the Cavs know this, as their being in win-now mode means they’d hardly risk damaging their team for the sake of getting rid of Mozgov.
At the same time, would they be able to get someone who can be as useful as Mozgov, at least when he’s on his game? Late last season, the Russian center was crucial on both ends of the court, ending the constant layup lines Cleveland was giving away on defense while also showing a surprisingly soft shooting touch on offense. If there’s a team out there that has someone with a similar skill set available, a deal for Mozgov might not make too much sense.
My guess is the Cavs are trying to dangle Mozgov in front of teams looking to shed cap space for next year. With his contract ending after this season, he’d be of good use to a contender looking for a quick, yet inexpensive fix.
At least, I would hope that’s what Cleveland is thinking when calling other teams about Mozgov. If the Cavs are just trying to shed a contract or looking to get a draft pick or two, this doesn’t seem like a smart move.
If Cleveland really wants to move on from Mozgov, there better be a plan in mind. Otherwise, the team is taking a big risk during what could be its best shot to win a title.
