The Cleveland Cavaliers were involved in a blockbuster deal that went down on Monday night, but the Cavs are still active on the trade front as they are still looking for a rim protector.
The Cavaliers improved their backcourt rotation after acquiring Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith along with a protected first-round pick in a three-team trade with the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder, giving up Dion Waiters, Alex Kirk, Lou Amundson and a 2019 second-round pick in the process.
According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Cavaliers are still in pursuit of Timofey Mozgov in their bid to provide help to starters Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson after Anderson Varejao went down with a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.
Mozgov, who is averaging 8.5 points to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game this season, is familiar with Cavaliers coach David Blatt having played for the first-year NBA coach with the Russian national team.
However, despite the strong interest from the Cavaliers, the Denver Nuggets are still reluctant to part ways with the 28-year-old center, who could become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason if the Nuggets will decide not to exercise their team option.
Sam Amico of Fox Sports reported, though, that the situation has improved for the Cavaliers because the Nuggets have been more open to offers for Mozgov over the past several weeks compared to earlier in the season.
"It seems the Mozgov situation is improving for the Cavs," Amico wrote. "A deal doesn't seem close by any means, but I'm told at least the Cavs are no longer receiving a 'flat no' from the Nuggets."
Mozgov had kind words for Blatt in an interview with the Denver Post. The Russian center admitted that he has been hearing about the trade rumors involving him, but he is not letting it to become a distraction.
"I don't watch a lot of TV," said Mozgov, who is playing in his fifth season in the league. "I don't think about it because personally there's nothing you can do about it."
Aside from Mozgov, the Cavaliers are also interested in Memphis Grizzlies reserve center Kosta Koufos.
Koufos will become an unrestricted free agent next summer and Memphis could lose him for nothing if they decide not to trade him before the trading deadline on Feb. 19, but the Grizzlies are also hesitant to part ways with the 25-year-old center.
Koufos is averaging 4.7 points to go along with 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 block in 19.2 minutes per game this season. The Grizzlies know that they could get nothing in the offseason if they hold on to the 25-year-old, but they view Koufos as a key rotation player, especially if they go deep into the playoffs this season.
