Lakers Rumors: Possible Trade Packages for Timofey Mozgov

Multiple Lakers rumors are circling regarding the next superstar that will head to Los Angeles. The problem is, the Lakers need to clear some cap space to land said superstar.

The Lakers made some head scratching choices when they decided to bring in Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov on massive contracts in the prior offseason. Singing Deng to a four-year, $72 million contract and Mozgov to a four-year, $64 million contract the Lakers obviously overspent. We already discussed how to get rid of Deng, and now it is Mozgov’s turn.

The fact of the matter is that the Lakers far overpaid for the seven-foot-one center out of Russia. While his veteran presence and his NBA Championship experience are promising, it is not worth an average of $16 million a year. The Lakers were attempting to bring in a guy that played alongside superstars like Lebron James and Kyrie Irving to extend his experience, it has not worked out.

Mozgov last season played right up to his career averages, averaging 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per game. For somebody who is seven-foot-one, these rebounding and blocks numbers are all the more unsatisfying. This has caused Mozgov to likely lose his starting job full time to the Lakers second round selection Ivica Zubac, who may have averaged the same numbers but shows immense promise.

The bottom line is that the Lakers don’t need Mozgov, at all. With Zubac and Black the Lakers can hold off on the center position until a star like Demarcus Cousins joins the team, or the team turns to the draft. Regardless, to make such a move the team needs to clear cap space.

Therefore, according to the trade finder within NBA 2K17, here are three potential trade packages the Lakers could receive for Timofey Mozgov.