Timofey Mozgov Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Mozgov, Lee, Ujiri

January 7th, 2016 at 3:19pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov has seen himself go from a starter to a reserve this season, which has multiple teams inquiring about his availability via trade, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports relays. Cleveland has not expressed any desire to move the center publicly, but the team’s daunting luxury tax bill, as well as Mozgov’s pending free agency, could eventually persuade the team to deal him, Spears adds. The 29-year-old has appeared in 30 games for the Cavaliers this season, including 25 as a starter, and he is averaging 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per night.

Here’s more from out of the Eastern Conference:

Wesley Matthews “badly wanted” this past summer to sign with the Raptors, who had mutual interest, but the thought of signing a player still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon was too much for the Raptors to bear, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange writes. That led Toronto to DeMarre Carroll, who’s since suffered injuries of his own, though GM Masai Ujiri played hardball, telling Carroll when he met with him that the team’s offer would come off the table if he didn’t commit before the end of the meeting. Carroll, of course, ended up signing with the Raptors for $58MM over four years. It’s much too early to say the Carroll signing was a mistake, but his injury illustrates how even seemingly safe choices carry risk, leaving the Raptors in limbo, Grange argues.
Ujiri said he was “torn” before he made the decision to turn down a “great offer” to stay with the Nuggets to become Raptors GM in the summer of 2013, calling Denver team president Josh Kroenke “like a brother” in an appearance on “The Vertical” podcast with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (audio link at 21:30 mark). “It haunts you for a long time,” Ujiri said. “I know I made the right decision, but sometimes I don’t know if I failed with loyalty there.” Still, the lure of the Raptors, whom Ujiri called a top-three organization in the league, proved too strong.
David Lee chose his words carefully as he expressed frustration and disagreement to reporters about the decision Celtics coach Brad Stevens made to take him out of the rotation, making it clear that he still respects the coach and hadn’t requested a trade, as MassLive’s Jay King relays. Still, Lee said that his lack of playing time is more frustrating this year than it was in Golden State last year. The Celtics are already reportedly making him available in trade talk.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Cavs Notes: James, Mozgov, Harris

December 2nd, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Will Joseph

Judging by LeBron James‘ comment to Lee Jenkins of SI.com, it seems like the relationship between James and Heat president Pat Riley is slowly starting to improve, Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald writes. James has declined comment regarding Riley since leaving the Heat for the Cavs via free agency, Skolnick adds, so James making reference to “the great Pat Riley” to Jenkins suggests time may be healing some wounds. Riley, Skolnick adds, grew frustrated about the lack of communication from James prior to the superstar leaving.

Here’s more from Cleveland:

Timofey Mozgov‘s right knee is still bothering him after offseason surgery, and it’s affecting his play, as Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal details. The Cavs aren’t panicking, but they’re concerned, Lloyd writes. Mozgov is in the final year of his contract, but Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggests that pressure not from looming free agency but from the no-nonsense atmosphere that James has imposed on his teammates is also detracting from the big man’s performance.
Free agent Dionte Christmas, whom the Cavs waived shortly before the season started, is set to sign with Hapoel Holon in Israel, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The 29-year-old shooting guard averaged 6.8 points in 19.9 minutes per game over four contests in the preseason for the Cavs.
The Cavs assigned shooting guard Joe Harris to their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Harris has played in five games for the Cavs this season.

Chuck Myron contributed to this report.

Central Notes: George, Noah, LeBron, Mozgov

December 2nd, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Chuck Myron

New teammates and a new, more open attack make Paul George harder to guard, coach Frank Vogel contends, and the willingness of C.J. Miles to defend power forwards, a duty George was reluctant to assume, has the Pacers clicking, as TNT’s David Aldridge examines in his NBA.com Morning Tip.

“I would say it bothered me a little bit,” George said to Aldridge about the idea of guarding fours. “I was like, man, I worked so hard to get back, playing the three, and now you’re putting me at a new position. You guys don’t trust me? So it took some time to get that through my head. But now, everything is working out fine, and I’m happy with what we’ve got going right now.”

George, in his interview with Aldridge, called Miles a “lifesaver” for his willingness to step into the power forward role, and Miles, a full-time starter for the first time since 2008/09, doesn’t seem to mind. See more from the Central Division:

Joakim Noah seemed to make it clear when he spoke to reporters Tuesday that he wants to play more and that he’s frustrated that Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg won’t give him more minutes, but he’s also careful not to publicly criticize Hoiberg, observes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter links). The 2016 free agent who’s now coming off the bench tempered his comments by calling it a “blessing to play for this franchise,” notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (All Twitter links). “I never want to come out,” Noah said. “But I understand this is my role now and I have to accept it and be the best that I can with what I have.”
LeBron James didn’t think the Cavs would be able to trade for Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert last season, but when they did, he found their acquisitions reassuring signs of GM David Griffin‘s mettle, as the four-time MVP tells Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. Their additions have been part of James’ struggle to change the culture of the Cavs into a winning one. “Coming back has been everything I thought,” James said to Jenkins of his 2014 return to Cleveland, “only a lot harder. I can’t tell you it’s been comfortable. But that’s O.K. I don’t really like to be comfortable.”

Central Notes: Hill, Mozgov, Parker

November 4th, 2015 at 8:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pacers small forward Solomon Hill had his 2016/17 rookie option declined by the team, but it’s not a decision that is weighing on him, writes Scott Agness of VigilantSports.com. “I wasn’t even thinking about that, to tell you the truth,” he told Agness. “That stuff will handle itself. One thing I can control is my effort and my ability to play the game of basketball. I never look at it as being like a crucial time. I just want to win. That’s the biggest thing for me.” Hill, whose option value was approximately $2.306MM, is now set to become an unrestricted free agent this coming summer.

With Hill seeing sparse playing time thus far during the 2015/16 season, securing a lucrative free agent deal will certainly be difficult, Agness notes. “Of course [it’s difficult]. It is what it is. Stuff happens for reasons,” Hill said regarding his lack of minutes. “I can only control what I can control and that’s making sure I’m ready when my name is called. Anything else is out of my hands. I’m not going to stress about stuff that’s out of hands right now.”

Here’s more from out of the Central Division:

Center Timofey Mozgov, who had surgery on his right knee during the offseason, is still attempting to work himself back into shape, and the Cavaliers are banking on him rounding into form for the latter part of the season, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. “He’s working real hard, strengthening,” coach David Blatt said of the big Russian. “He’s dropping a little bit of weight, which is good. That takes pressure off the knee. And getting himself in the kind of shape that he’s going to have to be in as we get further and deeper into the season. But I think he’s feeling better and I think it shows in his play.“
The Bucks are planning on taking it slow with Jabari Parker, who is returning from a torn ACL that cost him the bulk of his rookie campaign in 2014/15, Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports writes. The offseason free agent signing of center Greg Monroe may have brought heightened expectations to the franchise, but it also bought some extra time for Parker to heal, Lee adds. “The great thing about Jabari’s injury is who we are as an organization; that we’re not a finished product,” Milwaukee GM John Hammond told Lee. “I feel like, hopefully, we’re still a team in the future and I think our aspirations are high and we think we can do special things in the future here. So there is not that pressure where there’s a short window for us and the time is now. So with that being said for Jabari, it’s not about now, it’s about the long-term future.”

Cavs Notes: Irving, Love, Bennett

September 22nd, 2015 at 9:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavaliers are poised to enter the season ahead as favorites to return to the Finals, though that status comes at a cost. They already have about $95MM in guaranteed salary for the season ahead, and a new deal for Tristan Thompson would send that figure, and the tax bill that comes with it, even higher. Thompson on the qualifying offer would give the Cavs a tax bill of roughly $34MM. A max offer, one that Thompson is reportedly insisting upon, would push Cleveland’s tax bill to about $70MM. That would be on top of about $111MM in payroll, bringing the team within hailing distance of Brooklyn’s record outlay of some $190MM in 2013/14. While the Cavs ponder those figures, see the latest from Cleveland:

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov and Anderson Varejao will all be ready for Cavs training camp when it begins a week from today, reports Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It had previously appeared that Irving, on his way back from the left kneecap fracture he suffered in the Finals, was likely to miss the start of the regular season, with a distinct possibility he’d be out until January. Love said 11 days ago that he was about a month to a month and a half away from returning from shoulder surgery. Mozgov and Varejao are also recovering from surgery.
The Cavs will likely carry the maximum 20 players for camp, Haynes writes in the same piece. That would mean four more deals are on the way, since the Cavs are carrying 16 players, as our roster count shows. Presumably, one of them will be Thompson, whether it’s on the qualifying offer or a new deal, and the Cavs are also reportedly expected to sign former Duke point guard Quinn Cook, though they’ve yet to reach a deal with him as of last check.
No one beyond the Cavaliers considered Anthony Bennett a top-10 pick before the 2013 draft, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Bennett was the No. 6 prospect in that draft a few days before the event took place, as Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress had them ranked, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com listed Bennett fourth in his predraft rankings, so the notion that most teams didn’t have him in the top 10 on their boards is surprising.

Central Notes: Rose, Noah, Mozgov

August 1st, 2015 at 5:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Derrick Rose remains undecided about attending Team USA’s minicamp this month, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com reports. Sources told Friedell that Rose is considering taking more time off before Bulls training camp in late September. If Rose skips the minicamp, he may cost himself any chance of a roster spot since USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo has said that players who wish to be considered for the 12-man roster that will represent the United States at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro must attend the minicamp, Friedell adds. Rose was set to play in the 2012 Olympics before injuring his left knee during the NBA playoffs that year.

In other news around the Central Division:

Joakim Noah said his health issues last season were “very humbling” and he’s eager to “prove I can help this team win big,” K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. New Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg recently visited Noah at a training facility in California and Noah “enjoyed vibing with him,” Johnson added in a separate tweet.
Timofey Mozgov has no incentive to sign an extension with the Cavaliers since the salary cap will rise dramatically next season, according to Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Mozgov will be an unrestricted free agent after making $4.95MM during the upcoming season and he could be worth at least $15MM a year if he has another strong season, Pluto adds.
Unrestricted Cavs free agent J.R. Smith has value on the right type of team with a one-year contract, Pluto opined in the same story. The Cavs suggested that Smith take a one-year, $6.4MM option for the upcoming season but he declined, Pluto adds.

Cavs Pick Up Option On Timofey Mozgov

June 23rd, 2015 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

1:00pm: The move is indeed official, the team confirmed.

9:59am: The Cavs have picked up their $4.95MM team option on Timofey Mozgov, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). The team has yet to make an official announcement, but it would appear that the move has indeed taken place. It’s largely an academic transaction, since it would have been shocking if Cleveland had turned down a relatively inexpensive option on the starting center whose acquisition helped turn the team’s season around this year.

Mozgov came from Denver via trade on January 7th in a move that involved two first-round picks heading to the Nuggets. Cavs GM David Griffin and his staff had long coveted the 7’1″ native of Russia, and when the Cavs rebounded from a 19-20 start to reach the Finals with Mozgov locking down the interior on defense, it validated the team’s pursuit.

Cleveland has only slightly more than $31MM in guaranteed salary after picking up Mozgov’s option, though that number doesn’t include a slew of marquee free agents, including LeBron James and Kevin Love. The Cavs appear intent on retaining much of their team and have reportedly had internal discussions about a shelling out a payroll between $100-$110MM plus some $75MM in taxes next season.

Central Notes: Thompson, Griffin, Gibson

May 5th, 2015 at 8:10pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tristan Thompson is showing the Cavs his value with his aggressive rebounding and play around the rim during the playoffs, Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders writes. While there is a call around the league for big men who can stretch the floor with their shooting, Thompson is focused on continuing to improve in the paint area, Camerato notes. “You try to come back every year with something better and add something to your game,” Thompson said. “For me, I’m going to continue getting better and working on my game. Who I am now is not who I’m going to be a year from now or moving forward. I still want to get better and add things to my game. But for this year, for this team, which is my priority and my main focus, is how I can be an asset and help.” The 24-year-old can become a restricted free agent this summer provided the Cavs tender him a qualifying offer worth $6,777,589.

Here’s more out of the Central Division:

While LeBron James‘ return certainly revitalized the Cavs franchise, GM David Griffin was the one who laid the groundwork for the team to contend this season, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. The rookie GM finished second to Golden State GM Bob Myers in the voting for Executive of the Year for the 2014/15 campaign.
Timofey Mozgov has fit in seamlessly with the Cavs since being acquired from Denver earlier this season, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes in his profile of the Russian big man. “It does seem like he has been here longer than just since January,” guard Kyrie Irving said. “He is a guy who makes things fun off the court, but you know on the court he is going to have your back. He is tough. That is big for us.”
While the additions of Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic have diminished his playing time and stats this season, Taj Gibson could be the key to the Bulls advancing in the playoffs, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. “Taj is always important,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s the one thing you can’t overlook, what he brings to our team, his defense, his rebounding. He’s probably our best low-post defender. He’s our best guy at moving his feet. Offensively it’s hard to put a small on him — he can overpower you inside with his post game. Second shots. He’s got a good 17′ shot, it’s not like you can disregard him. You’ve got to pay attention to him. He’s critical for our team.“

Central Notes: Mozgov, Prince, Bucks

March 28th, 2015 at 2:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tayshaun Prince says that he has two or three more seasons left in him, and that he wouldn’t be opposed to returning to the Pistons next season, Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press relays (Twitter links). The 35-year-old, who is earning $7,707,865 in the final year of his contract, says that his preference would be to play for a contending team. Detroit won’t likely fit that description next season. In 16 games for the Pistons this season, Prince is averaging 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per night.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

One of the turning points of the Cavaliers‘ season was the acquisition of center Timofey Mozgov, who has been stellar since arriving in Cleveland, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. “I think since Mozgov came to the team we’re fifth in pick-and-roll defense, and it’s just because of his length, his size and him protecting the rim,” LeBron James said. “That’s huge for our team, having someone who can get down, guard pick-and-roll and can protect the rim. And also, at the other end, makes the opposing ‘5’ man respect him.“
Kendrick Perkins believes that all of the drama regarding how well the Cavs‘ players get along has been overblown, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes. “What people don’t understand is that this is not a place that requires you to be best friends,” Perkins said. “I think sometimes people don’t realize that this is work for us. So when you go to work every day, that doesn’t mean your co-worker has to be your best friend. This is our job. You don’t have to be best friends to come out here and work together.”
Bryan Toporek of BballBreakdown.com notes how poorly the trade for Michael Carter-Williams has worked out for the Bucks. The point guard’s shooting woes are stifling the team on the offensive end, Toporek opines. Since pulling the trigger on the deal Milwaukee has gone 6-13, and Carter-Williams has averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. The 23-year-old is shooting 39.3% from the field, and an anemic 11.1% from beyond the arc.

Central Notes: Love, Mozgov, Bulls, Bucks

March 24th, 2015 at 2:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

No one involved in the process believes Kevin Love will pick up his $16.744MM player option to remain with the Cavaliers as he’s said he plans to do, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Love nonetheless spoke of a strong camaraderie amongst the Cavs to Ananth Pandian of CBSSports.com, countering a narrative that he’s not getting along with his teammates, an idea that Love seemed to stoke when he said his relationship with LeBron James and other Cavs could be better. Rumors surrounding the No. 2 free agent on the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings have intensified, and Michael Rand of the Star Tribune wonders if Cleveland, like Minnesota, will be in the power forward’s past soon. Here’s more from around the Central Division:

The Timofey Mozgov trade has worked out splendidly for Mozgov, whose offensive numbers are up, and for the Cavs, who’ve taken off since the deal, as Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio examines. Cleveland has a $4.95MM team option on Mozgov for next season. “When we made the trade, everything that he brought is what we needed and wanted,” James said. “He’s going to be huge for our team. Very, very skilled offensively and understands defensively. He’s just a smart basketball player and it’s great playing with him.“
Nikola Mirotic and Jimmy Butler, a pair of late-first-round picks from 2011, are playing key roles for the Bulls, and trading for the rights to Mirotic took particular effort, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune details. “We were bidding against somebody,” Bulls GM Gar Forman said. “Significant money was being laid out. And that’s when [owner Jerry Reinsdorf] really stepped up and included a good chunk of money to make that happen.”
No team surged higher from last year’s ESPN Insider Front Office Rankings to this year’s than the Bucks, who jumped from 29th to 15th. Chad Ford of ESPN.com, in another Insider-only piece, credits the work of assistant GM David Morway, who joined the team in the summer of 2013, for having been instrumental in the rise.