24 hours after sending shooting guard Dion Waiters to Oklahoma City in a three-way deal for J.R. Smith and Iman Shumphert, the Cleveland Cavaliers are close to a deal for Denver Nuggets big man Timofey Mozgove.
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst, Cleveland will send two future first round picks to Denver for the 28-year-old 7’1, 250-pound Russian center. Per Stein on Twitter, the Cavaliers are prepared to send assets—most likely the recently acquired first-round protected pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder for Waiters being one of them.
Update to Cavs story w/ @WindhorstESPN: Cavs will send TWO future firsts to Denver for Mozgov
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) January 7, 2015
Deal sending Timofey Mozgov from Denver to Cleveland, I’m told, is on course to be completed as soon as today
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) January 7, 2015
ESPN sources say tell @WindhorstESPN and I that Cavs are in advanced discussions to acquire Timofey Mozgov from Denver
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) January 7, 2015
Per Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, Cleveland will absorb Mozgov into their exception and send their first-round protected picks from Memphis and Oklahoma City to Denver.
Cleveland will send Denver two picks that it controls via Memphis and Oklahoma City, league source tells Yahoo. No other players in deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 7, 2015
Cleveland will send Denver two picks that it controls via Memphis and Oklahoma City, league source tells Yahoo. No other players in deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 7, 2015
Cleveland is absorbing Mozgov into an exception.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 7, 2015
Here are protections on Memphis pick: 1-5 and 15-30 in 2015, 1-5 and 15-30 in '16, 1-5 in '17 and 1-5 in 2018; unprotected in 2019
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 7, 2015
Protections on Cleveland first-round to Denver via OKC: 1-18 in 2015, 1-15 in '16; 1-15 in 2017. After '17, it becomes two seconds.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 7, 2015
After losing starting center Anderson Varejao to a torn ACL in a 125-101 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 23, there has been a giant-sized sieve in the middle of Cleveland’s defense—and that’s me being kind—as the Cavs have spiraled to a 2-6 mark since losing Varejao to a record of 19-16, highlighted by Tuesday’s 95-92 loss to the 5-28 Philadelphia 76ers.
If Cleveland is able to land Mozgov, they would gain the rim protector that they sorely lack, an in addition to newly acquired Shumpert—who is recovering from a separated shoulder injury—would gain both a perimeter defender on the wing and a solid defender down lock in Mozgov.
For the year, Mozgov has averaged 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks a game, while shooting 50.4 percent from the field.
(Editor’s Note: As of press time, According to Marc Stein, the Cleveland Cavaliers have finalized the trade to acquire Mozgov for two future first-round picks.)