Teams are reportedly calling the Cavaliers to try to trade for Mozgov
The Cavaliers are the favorites to once again represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, so it appears as though they'd only make a significant change to the roster if the move would improve the team's chances of winning a title this season.
But even championship-caliber teams need to balance the future with their desire to contend during the current season, and the situation with Timofey Mozgov has other teams already calling to inquire if a trade can be made.
Via Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports:
As center Timofey Mozgov recently has gone from a prominent starting role to a reserve with the Cleveland Cavaliers, several NBA teams are starting to inquire about his availability via trade, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
While the Cavaliers have expressed no interest in moving Mozgov, the 7-foot-1 center’s loss of his starting job, the franchise’s NBA-high payroll and his looming free agency could ultimately persuade Cleveland to make a deal. The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 18.
Mozgov has become a reserve for the Cavs over the past few weeks, and played sparingly in the team's Wednesday night win over the Wizards. But even beyond that, he'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer, and with the salary cap expected to spike upwards of 30 percent in advance of the 2016-17 season, plenty of teams will come calling with big-money offers for the big man's services.
This season is a fragile one for the Cavaliers, and they'd only make a change like this if they believed that Mozgov was no longer a key piece to their championship puzzle. It's also well-known in the business that teams would rather get something in return for a player instead of seeing him walk in free agency for nothing, which is why the phones have been ringing lately in the Cavaliers front office.
