When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Timofey Mozgov to a four-year, $64 million contract the moment free agency started this summer, the move was immediately ridiculed in the media and questioned by the fan base. That is a lot of money for a player who has averaged a mere 6.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game over six NBA seasons. ESPN dubbed the move the third worst signing of the offseason behind the Chicago Bulls picking up Rajon Rondo and the New York Knicks acquiring Derek Rose.
Despite the criticism, there is reason to believe that Mozgov may emerge as one of the biggest surprises when NBA training camps start on Tuesday.