Stein: Mozgov Traded To Cleveland For 2 First Round Picks

[The Penguin]

Cavs definitely played this correctly. Instead of giving up Dion & a pick or their only 2 1st's for Moz, they got another 1st to flip & got Moz while keeping all of their own picks. I also think people are underrating Shump's place in all of this. My bro is a Cavs/Dion fan, before the season started I told him the team would be better with a defense 1st player like Tony Allen in Dion's spot. Obviously Shump is no Tony Allen but probably the closest they could come to that while also getting the extra 1st they needed. I expect a very strong finish from Cleveland, the pieces fit now.

Their 2015 pick is locked up with a pick swap with Chicago from the Deng deal and their 2016 pick is owed to Boston from their salary dump this summer (protected 1-10). They can't trade their pick until 2018.

[Nuggets_Talk]

So Cleveland turned Dion Waiters and the Memphis pick (Which looks like it's going to be in the 28-30 range) for Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Mozgov? Wow. Great set of moves. Even if you hate JR, he's a bench guy and when he sucks, back to the bench he goes. But Mozgov and Shump dramatically improve their defense. These are guys who will be solid rotation guys even when the whole team is healthy.

Unless I'm mistaken the Memphis pick cannot be in the 28-30 range.

[nomansland]

So Cleveland turned Dion Waiters and the Memphis pick (Which looks like it's going to be in the 28-30 range) for Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Mozgov? Wow. Great set of moves. Even if you hate JR, he's a bench guy and when he sucks, back to the bench he goes. But Mozgov and Shump dramatically improve their defense. These are guys who will be solid rotation guys even when the whole team is healthy.

Unless I'm mistaken the Memphis pick cannot be in the 28-30 range.

Yeah it's protected from 1-5 and then again from 15-30. At least it is until 2017.

[The Penguin]

So Cleveland turned Dion Waiters and the Memphis pick (Which looks like it's going to be in the 28-30 range) for Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Mozgov? Wow. Great set of moves. Even if you hate JR, he's a bench guy and when he sucks, back to the bench he goes. But Mozgov and Shump dramatically improve their defense. These are guys who will be solid rotation guys even when the whole team is healthy.

Unless I'm mistaken the Memphis pick cannot be in the 28-30 range.

Has to be 6-14 each of the next 2 years, then only 1-5 protected

[panthermark]

Wow, Bulls and Heat fans really think Cleveland screwed this one up.

I'm a Bulls fan and I don't think they screwed up.
Don't generalize.

I think Smith is a better 6th man than Waiters. I think Shump is a better wing defender than nothing, and I think Mozgov is a better rim defender than nothing.

Yeah...they paid a steep price for medicore talent.....but that talent helped fill some gigantic holes....especially with AV done for the year.

[tidho]

Usually when people talk about if a deal makes a team better they are referring to the team before the trade and the team after the trade. I'm not sure why your definition includes a comparison from before Andy is injured, lol. If the Lakers traded Nash for Westbrook tommorow would that make them better, or is the answer no because that '85/86 team was really stacked?

Because i'm looking at the whole picture, not whether or not they are slightly better today than yesterday. The point is with Varejao they were far from looking like contenders. Now they replace the loss of Varejao with a player that isn't as good as him. Thus they still don't look like contenders while also sending two first round picks out with one that could end up being a lottery pick.

Even as a Cavaliers fan, at no point have I viewed Cleveland as the favorite out of the East (Chicago and Washington had, and have, better rosters imo). The two deals do improve Cleveland's team though.

Back when Andy was playing, Kyrie hadn't stepped up on defense yet (nor had Waiters for that matter). The team was still obviously coming together too. Now they have an opportunity (after probably another month of adjustments) to come out of this with their three biggest weak spots corrected - depth, an inside presense, and a guy capable of defending on the wing. This team (on paper) fits together very nicely.

[ChokeFasncists]

Good move for both teams. I think Mozgov is perfect for Cleveland. He has great size and would be able to score more because he's got a stretch four and LeBron passing him the ball for easy dunks. They just got a lot better IMO, without giving up anyone on the roster, the first rounders would be real late. Mozgov and Faried are unfortunately not good match, too little offense. Mozgov probably would average more rebounds now. Denver's got Nurkic, a lottery pick and two late first rounders now, very good for trading up, if Gallo gets healthy they have a chance next season.

[baubo]

Cleveland overpaid because they inflated the market themselves by boxing themselves with just one player and and one position. Is Mozgov worth that? Of course not. But Cleveland wanted Mozgov just like they wanted Love. So they had to pay up since the other side knew they have the edge in negotiations. Contrast this to the Waiters for Shumpert/JR/1st trade, where Cleveland had a chance to survey the market and wait for the right opportunity.

Still, if they win the championship, it would still be more than worth it. But you wonder if they can do that even with Mozgov. He's not exactly a stud.

[heat4life]

I don't understand the obsession for future picks. The Cavs need to win NOW. The East is open and those picks do nothing for LeBron. Mozgov does help Cleveland right now. Makes sense for the Cavs. With that being said, getting two first rounders for a role player when you are clearly in rebuilding mode, is a great move. Win win.

[Dark Faze]

team is just blah all over the place and the trade was too steep a price to pay for an injury prone big who's ceiling is simply above average

[Nuggets_Talk]

So Cleveland turned Dion Waiters and the Memphis pick (Which looks like it's going to be in the 28-30 range) for Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Mozgov? Wow. Great set of moves. Even if you hate JR, he's a bench guy and when he sucks, back to the bench he goes. But Mozgov and Shump dramatically improve their defense. These are guys who will be solid rotation guys even when the whole team is healthy.

Unless I'm mistaken the Memphis pick cannot be in the 28-30 range.

Has to be 6-14 each of the next 2 years, then only 1-5 protected

Thanks, that's actually great news for us. I really don't want the Memphis pick this year since it's about as low as it will ever be

[chrisab123]

If Mozgov can generate 2 1sts I would assume that Wright could at least get the Celtics one first...

[ferk]

this is a great deal for cle btw . gotta go for it imo . slighty overpaid but who didn't see that coming from a mile away ?

[panthermark]

Is there any Euro Center in the East other than Pachulia and Antic?

Mozgov is a decent player but thats all he is, he is getting overrated real fast. It was an overpay but the Cavs needed to shore up the Front Court so it was needed. In a way it was a Win-Win but 2 First Round Picks is not indicative on the caliber of player Mozgov is who is being rid of for a rookie in Nurkic.

I better add my pic (again) to this thread-post as well....just for good measure....

[Illmatic12]

team is just blah all over the place and the trade was too steep a price to pay for an injury prone big who's ceiling is simply above average

Not only that, they just gave a 3yr/$30mil contract to another injury-prone big (who, on cue, got injured and will probably never be fully healthy for the duration of that contract)

Cleveland REALLY has to win now with their moves, as they've mortgaged their future and swung for the fences on multiple levels.

If I was a Cavs fan I would be demanding immediate success, none of that "We have a lot of young guys, it will take time" stuff Lebron was saying - that's not necessarily the case anymore. And Lebron himself remains a question mark as well, in terms of the level he will be able to play at physically + how well he can fit with his new teammates/coach.

[nomansland]

team is just blah all over the place and the trade was too steep a price to pay for an injury prone big who's ceiling is simply above average

Since when is Moz injury prone?

[panthermark]

I don't understand the obsession for future picks. The Cavs need to win NOW. The East is open and those picks do nothing for LeBron. Mozgov does help Cleveland right now. Makes sense for the Cavs. With that being said, getting two first rounders for a role player when you are clearly in rebuilding mode, is a great move. Win win.

Meh.....depends on the team drafting.

Look at what the Spurs have done.

Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, and Niko Mitoric were all late round picks or acquired for late round picks.

Hit on some of those picks, and you can extend a title window. Bulls were able to trade-up into the late lottery to get McD because we had multiple picks to move. It is why the Bulls has another title window after this one (Noah/Gasol/Gibson/MDJ) assuming they can keep them together.

[contract]

I guess Greg Ostertag wasn't available.

[LeChosen One]

Is he better than Koufus?

[oikosnomos]

How can anyone say this is desperation?

We just flipped just flipped 2018 second-round pick, Memphis's heavily protected 1st rounder and Dion Waiters for Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Timofey Mozgov.

I'm ecstatic.