Stein: Mozgov Traded To Cleveland For 2 First Round Picks

[HotRocks34]

Cavs did overpay for Mozgov, but their team is much better than it was a few days ago.

The only real glaring weakness on the team now is a legitimate backup center (with Varejao hurt). Thompson would be better as a power forward off the bench, IMO.

I doubt the Cavs can win a title this year, even if they are fully healthy, with their current roster. But they should be able to take on anyone in the East if they are relatively injury free and add someone like Dalembert and maybe some cheap buyout backup point guard later in the year so they don't just have to rely on Dellavedova there.

Good work by Griffin and the team. Not only did they essentially get Shumpert/Smith/Mozgov for Waiters/Amundson/Kirk, they also simply just got rid of Waiters. That of itself is a huge move so that this team can play a better style (if JR Smith can be kept under control).

i still think the hawks and bulls are ahead of them.

Yeah, probably so. And Toronto could be as well. But now the Cavs have a shot at competing against those teams. Or at least since Varejao went down. I thought the Cavs matched up well with Chicago with Varejao healthy. His movement bothered Gasol when the Cavs were on offense.

Cavs still face an uphill climb. But their roster is better and more balanced now, and it could get even better if they add Dalembert/O'Neal/third pg.

[_Game7_]

This Cavs team is horrible, funny thing is we will probably make the finals just because of Lebron and being in the east. Need lots of time playing together to build some type of chemistry. Right now look like a damn near lottery team, giving lottery team effort, makes me sick.
This trade should help though. Love needs a real man down low with him.

[Rock Hardy]

Is Mozgov that good? Man, he's not like some dominant rim protector or anything, and the weak link in the Cavs defense is still going to be the guards. That's if Iman isn't 100% when he returns. I'll still peg the team's problems as defense, but we'll see. I also think it's worth noting that he played on a team that is top5 in pace the last two seasons and bottom10 in DRTG. That's a warning sign of stat inflation. In addition to that, his rebounding numbers went up this year, but that's not impressive considering his minutes went up ~25% while his team's fg% went from 15th to 25th this year. More minutes and more rebounding opportunities, but not a proportional increase in rebounds. Red flags on this dude.

I said something similar about Kevin Love before he was traded. You have to be wary of the kind of guys who fill up numbers on uptempo teams. I don't think he was worth 2 first rounders, and I really don't see this making s great difference to that team other than rebounding. I think the Shump trade was much more useful for them. They need a big to keep Love from sucking ass at the 5, but Mozgov isn't going to be a difference maker on defense. Not if the perimeter defense remains porous. Mozgov ain't scaring nobody from the paint.

[upheaval]

This is a win/win by both teams tbh. Two firsts is kinda steep, but they are protected, and it's not like the Grizzlies or Thunder are going to be in the lottery anytime soon. Mozgov fits the team very well, as he addresses a major need for the Cavs, a big interior presence. Literally if all he does is stand in the paint and jump he is an improvement over our current interior defense. His relationship with Blatt means he is probably already familiar with the system he's running, so should fit in nicely.

[Kwakle]

Jusuf Nurkic time! Dude has been playing exceptionally well, but dude is so freakin cocky lol.

Look at his reaction everytime he makes a basket and him already talking smack to Marc Gasol like he's nothing @ 1:02

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QcpvoF3LnY[/youtube]

I'd rather any player be a dick rather than a p@%@!

[ManualRam]

The two picks they gave up for Mozgov was an overpay.

The extra first they gave up for Love was an overpay.

The Varejao extension was premature.

They aren't the only team in win now mode. And yet, they keep giving up more than other teams have for equivalent assets because they need to get the trade done NOW. None of those moves HAD to be done at that time, they weren't at the deadline.

Time and time again, they bid against themselves. Maybe I was too dramatic in that last post, they still have assets. Still, everything they've done screams "We have LeBron so its impossible for us to make bad moves." Which, as seen the last two times teams have had him, can backfire.

We just a acquired a starting center in the NBA making less than 5 million and have him for next year AND fits our needs, but you consider two first (which are again, heavily protected and from strong playoff teams). If you consider that an overpay, then that's the opinion you hold.

The Miami first was going to be part of the deal no matter what considering Flip already had a deal lined up to send it to Philly. Boston was reportedly offering picks to get Love, so including that was a wash. That was fair trade, but you say overpay, so that is what you say.

The Varejao extension was premature, but I'm not sure why you are bring that up regarding trades. It doesn't bolster your argument any. That is luxury tax thing, but it didn't remove assets from what the Cavs already had. We didn't have cap space.

I don't anything about who was bidding and who wasn't. You don't have anything substantial to offer regarding that. I've already offered you all the assets and ways the Cavs still have to get better. Again, you are just disparaging the trade, but offer no alternatives or reason why.

Yup, we disagree. I've never seen a 28 year old guy like Mozgov that has never been a starter before fetch two first round picks.

The Varajao signing is part of the common refrain of Cleveland doing something today that they could have done tomorrow.

Everything you're saying is the consistent "We HAD to make this trade, or else it wouldn't have gotten done." That's not necessarily a good reason, winner's curse and all that.

Really, it wouldn't shock me at all if this was more about making LeBron happy and being worried about him leaving again rather than making the best basketball moves. It's been a common refrain everywhere Lebron has been, wouldn't surprise me if it's happening again.

what? he's starting right now and avging 12/11 per 36 pace adjusted with solid defense. and he'll only be making 5 mill next yr (team option). that's a steal.

lol at people overvaluing late firsts

[jbk1234]

Cavs did good. Lets see if it translates on court.

No more excuses for Lebron though.

I would add Kyrie and Love to the no-more-excuses list. I would then clarify that Shump isn't healthy and won't be for a couple of weeks.

[NBAfan3024]

Be interesting what shump can give them defensively

[DreDay]

Good trade for Cleveland. Mozgov is good and those firsts aren't great. I'd be much more worried about "legit defensive wing" ( ) Iman Shumpert and "6th man of the year candidate" ( ) JR Smith. But this deal is great. Slight overpay? Maybe. However it fills a MASSIVE hole and should help bring the best out of one of their stars in Love as well as solve their interior defense. They still have their firsts and the Haywood expiring to make an additional trade. Not too bad.

[kingkirk]

The two picks they gave up for Mozgov was an overpay.

The extra first they gave up for Love was an overpay.

The Varejao extension was premature.

They aren't the only team in win now mode. And yet, they keep giving up more than other teams have for equivalent assets because they need to get the trade done NOW. None of those moves HAD to be done at that time, they weren't at the deadline.

Time and time again, they bid against themselves. Maybe I was too dramatic in that last post, they still have assets. Still, everything they've done screams "We have LeBron so its impossible for us to make bad moves." Which, as seen the last two times teams have had him, can backfire.

You can add Danny Ainge seeing them coming from a mile away, and in doing so, got a nice young big in Zeller, who is a similar player to what they just traded 2 1sts for in Mozgov.

Credit the Cavs. They got their guy. That said, there is no way that anyone in Denver is sitting around tonight and thinking they, at best, got a fair deal for Mozgov.

Denver got him from the Knicks in a great deal for Melo. They have another pick coming from the Knicks from that deal, and now they have flipped Mozgov for 2 future 1sts.

Sure, they're late 1sts, but with good drafting, they could be players. Look at Nurkic. At 16, he wasn't exactly a top pick. Now, he is a potential cornerstone.

[kingkirk]

I don't see how one could say the Cavs didn't overpay for Mozgov.

The Rockets only got one 1st rounder for Asik. The Nuggets just got two for the lesser player.

Different time, different buyer, different scenario, but the Nugget's saw the Cavs coming and bent them over.

As i said, the Cavs get their guy and at the end of the day have the center they craved, but in a vacuum, they paid a lot for an average center.

[shangrila]

2 firsts is a steep price to pay for a guy of Mozgov's calibre. He does help their team, now and in the future, so that's good. And the Cavs have recently been one of the worst drafting teams in the entire league, so you could probably argue they sold high on both those picks. So...I guess it's not bad, but I hesitate to call it a "good" deal either.

[mcfly1204]

Regarding how "good" Mosgov is, I think he can/will have a similar impact as when Portland acquired Lopez. In 2012-13, Portland went 33-49. They acquired Lopez, and went on to go 54-28 the following season without any other significant roster changes outside of some bench depth in the form of Mo Williams and Dorell Wright.

[jpengland]

I think this is a smart move from the Cavs, it's not 'really' two first rounders due to the protections involved, unlikely to be anything of value.

He's some rim protection which is an upgrade on the zero they currently have.

The Waiters for Shumpert/JR Smith move is more of aquestion mark to me. I am far from a Waiters fan and he wasn't a great fit but Shumperts defense is actually pretty below average nowadays as he gambles too much and Smith is an absoloute cancer. It's a massive risk and I would have thought Waiters could have brought back a more solid veteran 3 and D guy.

[Magic24]

I think this is a smart move from the Cavs, it's not 'really' two first rounders due to the protections involved, unlikely to be anything of value.

He's some rim protection which is an upgrade on the zero they currently have.

The Waiters for Shumpert/JR Smith move is more of aquestion mark to me. I am far from a Waiters fan and he wasn't a great fit but Shumperts defense is actually pretty below average nowadays as he gambles too much and Smith is an absoloute cancer. It's a massive risk and I would have thought Waiters could have brought back a more solid veteran 3 and D guy.

How is it not 2 firsts? Do you think OKC wont make the playoffs in the next 3 years? The Memphis pick never turns into a a 2nd. If Marc leaves next summer then that is a great pick.

[RoyceDa59]

This is the exact trade the Cavs needed. Mozgov provides an interior presence and defense, but most importantly he brings toughness and an edge that the Cavs have been sorely lacking this season. He will get dirty, mix it up down low, isn't afraid to throw a hard foul and deal with the consequences. Defensively, if the wings know there is a big tough guy waiting down low to help them if they get beat off the dribble, they will be able to smother their defender with a little more conviction.

Mozgov isn't an all-star, but this could be a game changing trade for the Eastern Conference.

[OhioGuy216]

I'm okay with the trade. The two picks we sent have about 2000 conditions attached to them and the OK one will end up being two 2nd round picks.....

Now all the Cav's need to do is sign one of the bigs out there to a vet min contract to give them 10 minutes off the bench.

[jps78]

I think this is a smart move from the Cavs, it's not 'really' two first rounders due to the protections involved, unlikely to be anything of value.

He's some rim protection which is an upgrade on the zero they currently have.

The Waiters for Shumpert/JR Smith move is more of aquestion mark to me. I am far from a Waiters fan and he wasn't a great fit but Shumperts defense is actually pretty below average nowadays as he gambles too much and Smith is an absoloute cancer. It's a massive risk and I would have thought Waiters could have brought back a more solid veteran 3 and D guy.

How is it not 2 firsts? Do you think OKC wont make the playoffs in the next 3 years? The Memphis pick never turns into a a 2nd. If Marc leaves next summer then that is a great pick.

Lol the memphis pick is 1-15 protected only this year. Nuggets will draft in the low 20's in the upcoming draft with that pick.

[Kingshadaine]

You guys really overrate first round picks that will be in the 22-30 range, I'd take the pelicans pick over both those picks if i were a GM but that's just me, and no the cavs haven't been one of the worst drafting teams in recent memory, they drafted wiggins and kyrie and thompson is decent, stop the cavs hate

[OhioGuy216]

I think this is a smart move from the Cavs, it's not 'really' two first rounders due to the protections involved, unlikely to be anything of value.

He's some rim protection which is an upgrade on the zero they currently have.

The Waiters for Shumpert/JR Smith move is more of aquestion mark to me. I am far from a Waiters fan and he wasn't a great fit but Shumperts defense is actually pretty below average nowadays as he gambles too much and Smith is an absoloute cancer. It's a massive risk and I would have thought Waiters could have brought back a more solid veteran 3 and D guy.

How is it not 2 firsts? Do you think OKC wont make the playoffs in the next 3 years? The Memphis pick never turns into a a 2nd. If Marc leaves next summer then that is a great pick.

Lol the memphis pick is 1-15 protected only this year. Nuggets will draft in the low 20's in the upcoming draft with that pick.

Please, that pick will be traded again.