Timofey Mozgov said he doesn’t allow his friends to talk about trade speculation about him. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)
Timofey Mozgov has one rule for his buddies who talk about trade speculation that involves him: Take it somewhere else.
The Nuggets’ center the subject of trade chatter for much of this season. The most recent has concerned him possibly going to Cleveland since Cavaliers coach David Blatt once was his coach on the Russian National Team and the Cavs recently lost big man Anderson Varejao for the season because of a torn Achilles.
(About an hour before the Nuggets’ game at Minnesota, a three-way involving the Cavaliers, Knicks and Thunder. The deal is said to be finalized after their games Monday.)
“My friends talk about it, but I just say, ‘If you’re talking, don’t invite me, OK?'” Mozgov said before Monday’s game against Minnesota at the Target Center. “It’s simple. They can talk about it with each other, but I know nothing about it.”
The fifth-year big man said he doesn’t allow trade rumors to be a distraction.
“I don’t watch a lot of TV,” he said. “I don’t think about it because personally there’s nothing you can do about it.”
There has been plenty of controversy lately surrounding Blatt and his relationship with Cavaliers star LeBron James. Mozgov stuck up for his former coach.
“First of all, you can’t listen to all the people,” Mozgov said. “You never know what’s going on. But he’s a good dude. If he has a problem, he will handle it.”
