On Thursday, Timofey Mozgov is expected to sign on the dotted line to formalize his arrival in Los Angeles as a Laker. Despite having a down campaign last season as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the seven-foot Russian was still able to secure a lucrative contract in a new locale.
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It was the first big contract signing this offseason and it paved the way for succeeding deals in which a huge amount of money was spent by teams. Before departing, Mozgov played very sparingly for the Cavaliers but he was still the team’s best shotblocker. The Cavs would have wanted to retain him, however, the Lakers’ offer was simply too much for them to outbid.
But according to a report by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Timofey Mozgov admitted that money wasn’t the main selling point made by Luke Walton and the Lakers.
“He said I’m going to play a lot. I really like it. The only thing in the world I want to do is be with my family and play basketball. Those are the two things that are most important for me.”
Four years at $64 million was the price tag for acquiring his services. The Lakers were clearly paying him based on his potential after witnessing how he transformed the Cavaliers’ defensive makeup upon his arrival in the middle of the 2014-2015 season. It was the most relevant period of his career wherein he averaged 10.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks on 59% shooting from the field.
An offseason procedure conducted on his knee destroyed his confidence which led to his abysmal performance last year. His timing was off and the bounce was not as good as before. But Mozgov feels good about his chances heading into next season due to a clean bill of health.
“I’m perfect, finally. It took me longer than I thought. But I’m perfect.”
Despite the financial and basketball promise that was presented to him, Mozgov did not hide the fact the it was still a tough decision on his part.
“I was proud to be a part of the team, but I want to play. It was a hard decision. Of course you want to stay on a team that you know will be one of the teams that fights for a championship. But in my personal opinion, I have to take a bigger step and move forward.”
At the end of the day, there were no ill feelings after his departure from Northeast Ohio. The Cavs won a championship and he will be getting a better opportunity to hone his craft and provide for his family.
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You deserve it, big guy. Don’t forget your ring in your next visit to Cleveland.