Timofey Mozgov: Nothing positive about losing Cavs starting job, except extra motivation

Timofey Mozgov has talked to Timur Rustamov (@t1m1ch) of Sport-Express after Sunday’s game vs. Philadelphia during which Mozgov only scored two points.

Here’s my translation:

– What can I say? The knee still aches, but it behaves much better now than it did early in the season. So overall I’m estimating my condition as great, you can say that I’m in great shape. As for the change of my role on the team, you better ask the coach about this decision, because it was him who made it. I am trying to adapt to the new role.

– Did Blatt tell you the news in person?

– We had the talk, it lasted 30 seconds or so. What exactly David said is between me and him.

– Probably Blatt is looking for options that would benefit the team.

– He thinks so, yes

– Did in influence your relationship in some way?

– We are all good. It was a work decision. He is the coach and he bears responsibility for team results. So it is on him to decide what to do and how. I have to execute. It’s simple.

– Do you see anything positive in this situation? For example, entering the game from the bench, you started to get regular playing time in fourth quarters.

– I don’t see anything positive. Other that I got even more motivation to work further.

– A year ago you got traded in January, so you remember it perfectly how bothersome it can be to relocate during the season. Do the rumors about other teams calling about you distract you from your current tasks on the Cavs?

– I have a job which I must do no matter what people around are saying, so I do my best to abstract myself from this information.

– Do you set a return to the starting lineup as a goal for yourself?

– You know it perfectly that I don’t like to talk about goals. Believe me, I have goals, but I set them for myself, not for the outside world. I really don’t like to get into situations where I said something and then didn’t do it. So I’ll better stay silent and quietly keep on doing my work.

Timofey Mozgov “would like” to reunite with David Blatt, become LeBron’s teammate

Timofey Mozgov is in Saint Petersburg where he conducts his yearly tournament for kids, TM25 Cup, supported by the NBA.

Photo from Twitter feed of @Sharifyanov

 

At the event, Denver Nuggets and Team Russia center has talked to a crowd of Russian journalists, and Boris Khodorovsky of ITAR-TASS reported what Mozgov said about the rumored possible trade to Cleveland Cavaliers.

Of course, it would be interesting to play for David Blatt’s team. I know his coaching philosophy well, after working with him on Russian national team. The thing you like about Blatt is that he always sets the highest goals for himself and for the team.

 

Mozgov said he has no plans to force his way out of Denver.

So far all the talks about trade to Cleveland are just rumors. My last season in Denver was good, and to try and do something to leave the team wouldn’t be smart.

 

Taras Barabash of R-Sport quotes Mozgov on possibility of playing with LeBron James:

I would like to play with LeBron. But even though playing for a contender is cool, you got to understand that I want to be part of the team and not to just join a contender and ride the coattails, being a burden.

Photo by @Sharifyanov