Forget this summer. Pachulia is providing everything Dallas could ask out of him and more.
When the Dallas Mavericks sent a future second round pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for Zaza Pachulia, it was seen as a last-ditch effort to find someone remotely capable of starting at center. The Georgian native, entering the final year of a three-year, $15.6-million contract, had spent the past two seasons of his 12-year career with the Bucks as a backup center and decent role player.
Adding a damper to the acquisition was the fact that Pachulia had never been an incredible rebounder, averaging about six-and-a-half rebounds in his two seasons with Milwaukee, while seeing about 24 minutes per game.