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Los Angeles Lakers: Timofey Mozgov discusses time with Cleveland Cavaliers

By Kenneth Teape

Dec 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue presents Los Angeles Lakers center Timofey Mozgov (20) with his championship ring before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue presents Los Angeles Lakers center Timofey Mozgov (20) with his championship ring before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Los Angeles Lakers center Timofey Mozgov dishes on his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and who he believes will win the NBA Finals this year.

The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t played a game in a few weeks, as their focus is on the 2017 NBA Draft and offseason. But, some of their players are still making some headlines. One of those players is Timofey Mozgov.

The Lakers signed Mozgov to a lucrative deal last season when he was a free agent. Early on in free agency, the Lakers and Mozgov agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal. It was one of the more peculiar seasons of the offseason.

The Lakers seemed like an odd landing spot for Mozgov. But, when you are getting that much money, it is hard to turn it down. The veteran Mozgov was probably looked at as someone that could help bring the younger Lakers around.

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It seemed to start off that way. Mozgov was the starting center for the Lakers in 52 games last season. All of those starts came before the All-Star break as Mozgov found himself glued to the bench most of February and beyond.

The Lakers took tanking to another level. Mozgov, in addition to Luol Deng and Nick Young, were shut down. The Lakers were going with a youth movement, hoping to lose as many games as possible to improve their odds in the NBA Draft Lottery. It worked to a certain extent, as they landed the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Getting shut down was an extreme measure by the Lakers. To this day, Mozgov is still unsure who made the decision to shut down the veteran players. What a lot of people are still unsure of is why Mozgov would want to even sign with the Lakers.

Mozgov played in two consecutive NBA Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers prior to signing with the Lakers. Money definitely played a role in Mozgov leaving the Cavaliers. Another reason could have been the coaching situation, which Mozgov admitted was difficult for him.

Mozgov was asked who the toughest coach for him to communicate with, and he did not hesitate when saying, Tyronn Lue.

"“Tyrone Lue. We never found a common language. It was the most difficult thing for some reason.”"

Despite the difficulties with Lou, Mozgov did say he would have enjoyed returning to the Cavaliers, discussing the differing situations with both franchises.

"“It was hard to leave the champs for a club that can’t compete not for the title, but for the playoffs. Of course, it was hard. And this also applies to the players and their attitude. They face very different challenges. My best friend in the team was Marcelo Huertas, until he left. Still I had a good relationship with a guy who worked as an assistant coach on physical preparation. But he was fired. I get along well with everyone, I just can’t say that I am close to anyone”."

The Lakers and Cavaliers would not be too much further apart on the spectrum. The Cavaliers, with LeBron James leading the way, are title contenders every season. The Lakers are in the midst of a rebuild, as they have missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are facing off with the Golden State Warriors for the third straight year in the NBA Finals. Mozgov was asked about who will win the series and did not hesitate to provide his answer despite the Warriors holding a series lead.

"“Last year, when Golden State led in the series 3-1, no one believed in us. I think something like that will happen again this year. My prediction is the Cavs win it 4-3”."

Next: 20 Greatest Individual Performances In Lakers History

It would be an impressive comeback for the Cavaliers if they could recover from a 2-0 deficit for the second consecutive season. Mozgov and the Lakers will be watching, hoping they return to the biggest stage in the NBA sooner than later.

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