The Cleveland Cavaliers have made it clear they are not trading Kevin Love this offseason, but the door is still open on a deal for Timofey Mozgov. Following the firing of head coach David Blatt and the hiring of Tyronn Lue, the Cavaliers are trying to get the right roster in place to make a run at the top teams in the Western Conference. According to general manager David Griffin, that roster includes Love, but might not involve Mozgov.
Rumors of a trade of been swirling around Mozgov for weeks now as the Cavaliers try and field interest in the center. Mozgov does not match the style of play Lue runs with. He is a tradition big that does not move quickly and struggles with up-tempo offenses while lacking versatility on the court. He is barely the player he was last year and with an expiring contract to his name, the Cavaliers are looking to try quickly.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Boston Celtics and the New Orleans Pelicans have emerged as two teams with potential interest in acquiring Mozgov. The Celtics make the most sense. Boston has been running with a smaller lineup and as a result they are aiming to try a big. David Lee, Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger have all been listed as trade options, while Wojnarowski reports the Mozgov deal would center around Jae Crowder.
The third-year pro is currently averaging 14.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45.3 percent overall. His offensive game has greatly improved while he brings a defensive intensity that the Cavaliers would love to have. The issue is putting together the right trade package. Crowder is a popular asset which means he comes at a high price. Without Love involved in the deal, the Cavaliers would likely have to give up someone like Iman Shumpert or even Mo Williams with Mozgov and that might not be ideal. The team cannot trade LeBron James, Matthew Dellavedova, JR Smith or James Jones. That is a problem when trying to trade. The Cavaliers could try to target Lee or someone like Sullinger, but they are not as good as Crowder.
The Pelicans are also interested in a trade that would involve Omer Asik. This one does not make sense for the Cavaliers. Asik is basically the same player as Mozgov. They both struggle with versatility and quick play. Giving up Mozgov for Asik seems pointless at the moment.
The Cavaliers might want to trade Mozgov, but they want quality in return which could be hard to acquire with the center. Unless the team changes their mind on their stance with Love, they might not be able to get involved at the trade deadline.