The Los Angeles Lakers have made a signing in NBA free agency to address the frontcourt as the team intended.
The team has reportedly agreed to terms with veteran center Timofey Mozgov formerly of the reigning NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical:
.@WojVerticalNBA: Lakers, Timofey Mozgov have agreed to four-year, $64 million deal.
Live: https://t.co/92ODzkg0ai
— The Vertical (@TheVertical) July 1, 2016
With Roy Hibbert not fitting the bill at the center position and the team unable to get a meeting with Hassan Whiteside, the Lakers worked quickly to address an area of need once free agency got underway. Mozgov will likely slip into the starting role in the paint for the Lakers meaning Hibbert will be looking elsewhere in free agency this summer.
During Mozgov’s short stint with the Cavaliers, the center averaged 7.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Mozgov shot 57.7 percent from the floor and 71.1 from the charity stripe.
Although Mozgov isn’t the upgrade in the paint the Lakers were hoping for heading into free agency, the 29-year-old is a decent consolation and may have some success in Los Angeles. Mozgov has played for three teams before heading to the Lakers with stops with the New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and Cavaliers.
The Lakers may now focus their efforts on other rumored targets like Chandler Parsons, Kent Bazemore, Evan Turner, Nicolas Batum, and Ryan Anderson to name a few. Signing stretch four or wing player that can be a force from beyond the arc seems to be a priority. There’s no telling whether the team will get the opportunity to pitch any of these players now that free agency is underway.
