Timofey Mozgov Discussion: Shut Down For Season (66)

I understand that starting C was a legitimate need entering the offseason and I've used that rationale in explaining why I actually found the Moz signing to be a lesser mistake - or a more tolerable move if I wanted to take a less negative angle - than the Deng signing. I also agree that standing pat wasn't an option for several reasons - a key reason being Jim Buss and his deadline to contend would never allow for a youth movement that ensured another losing season. Also I did read several teams were interested in Moz, so once the Lakers knew they weren't getting Whiteside there was a sense of urgency that led them to fork over this type of money. Lastly, I 100% agree that no one could have seen this coming from Zubac right away. I'm sure even the Lakers were surprised at this quick progress.

I'm not really panning the logic behind the Moz signing. Whereas I do pan the logic behind the Deng signing very much.

I'm panning what has transpired since the signing and that is Moz sucking. I'm not saying he sucks as a player because he's obviously had a fairly decent career prior to joining the Lakers but as a Laker, he has flat out sucked. There is no denying it. I'm saying that is what has been seriously disappointing.

 

Only thing I agree about signing Moz is that we needed a center but there was no hindsight that we were going to regret this signing, its just disappointing that its come so soon just like Deng.

 

These were his starting stats in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015:
10.8ppg 7.6rpg 1.3bpg
9.7ppg 7.3rpg 1.2bpg
I didn't factor in his 2015-2016 starts because he was clearly fazed out of their plans and only averaged 18 minutes in his starts. And obviously he ultimately got benched and was a non-factor in the playoffs.

I was expecting stats along those lines. Unless you had a really low opinion of Moz from the beginning, I'm shocked if anyone actually expected mediocrity on the level he is producing now. If you don't think his play since joining the Lakers constitutes sucking - forget contract, I'm just talking about being a starting C in this league - then you seriously have a lower bar than I do. I didn't expect much from him and he still failed me. That's just sad.

 

Then all the reason for me to not include those 2015-2016 starter stats if he had a viable reason for not playing well. Which goes back to my point of not including them.

I used his 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 stats as a starter, which were notably better than what he produced this season as a starter and why expectations should have been higher upon coming to LA.

If we are using per36 stats:
Prior to this season - 13.6ppg 10rpg 1.8bpg
This season - 13ppg 8.6rpg 1bpg

Yup. Trending downhill. Terrible sign for a 30 year old in the first year of a 4 year contract.

So Mozgov is essentially producing this season as a full-time starter (52 of 52 games) in 20.7mpg what he produced in his career prior to this season where he started 208 of 369 games (56.4%) in 18.2mpg. That's fantastic!

Having a hard time understanding why exactly his production isn't "sucky" and why we shouldn't be disappointed with his production.

 

It's disappointing, yes, but it's also what should have been expected..it's what they signed up for and paid him that ridiculous contract to do

 

His career stats leading into this season were based on playing just 18.2mpg and coming off the bench for 43.6% of them. He was entering this season as a full-time starter and being touted as an integral part of the team. On offense and defense. At least that's how Walton sold it during the summer. So I was expecting stats commensurate specifically to what he did as a starter in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 because that's closer to what his role would be. As opposed to career stats that included portions where he was barely used.
In the end, I expected better than what he is doing now. If there are people who expected this production and are thus not disappointed by what has transpired, then understandably we do not share a similar sentiment.

 

This thread is getting quite comical.

 

I had replies ready for both Oak and therealdeal but I'm frankly so perplexed as to why I have to explain why a 4 year 65 million dollar center averaging 7.5ppg 4.9rpg 0.6bpg and getting benched before the All-Star break is considered "disappointing" that I'm just going to go ahead and agree to disagree.

 

I think I'm confused. It is disappointing, I agree 100% but I also wasn't expecting Moz to come in and average 15 &10. He's doing what I think we all thought he'd do..put up about the same numbers he always, not earn his ridiculous contract. I don't think Moz was playing bad, it's just who he is and does.

 

EE said
"In the end, I expected better than what he is doing now. If there are people who expected this production and are thus not disappointed by what has transpired, then understandably we do not share a similar sentiment."


I was confused in the wording of whos side was on who, until I read EE's last line here on his defense.

I didn't expect Moz to change his stripes and suddenly put up bigger numbers..I pretty much expected him to do what he's done. It was a bad signing for a ridiculous price. I expected more minutes if anything..and Moz did too. I wouldn't say he's been terrible..he hasn't been great.

I would say it was a disappointing signing..and they've received exactly what he's used to doing.

and to add..Moz is taking the high road..Walton did sell it that he would have a bigger role than what he's had. Which is sad that they had to sell that to him just to get him to sign..which shows the state of the Lakers. Having to sway Moz at 12:01am to sign.

 

No one has said anything about 15 and 10. At least not over at Scout at the time of the signing (except for maybe our resident homer) or the time I've been on this board. If you expected that, then naturally you are disappointed but that's your own fault for being delusional. That said, I just question that people really expected 7.5ppg 4.9rpg 0.6bpg and being benched. I predicted essentially 9-8-1.2 and that was based on his production in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 (I excluded 2015-2016 for reasons stated above) and the team talking up his role. He wasn't just discussed as Bogut on offense but also being a factor on defense. A team, even one as desperate as the Lakers, doesn't hand out 65 million with such low expectations and say "This is what you are paid to do". No, c'mon now. They had to expect more. I, as much as anyone, acknowledge Moz to be a mediocre player in general. I feel like my expectations were modest and based on a reasonable sample size that fit his assumed incoming role. Starting C in that 22-24mpg role - something Oak himself said on Scout and I was on par with that. I felt what he was paid to do was replicate his production as a starter for Denver/Cleveland in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, where even then he was a low to mid 20mpg guy. And Brian Shaw was familiar with him. I guess I'm having difficulty, because I was so low on him as it is, that people actually expected what he is doing now. It's so utterly below mediocre that even I'm stunned by it. If you expected it, then I guess you are smarter than I because it was unexpected to me - and thus very disappointing.