By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Speaking to “Championat.com” Mozgov described how he learned that he would sit out for the rest of the season, something that according to him surprised even his head coach Luke Walton.
As he explained: “The coach told me about it before the game. It was a big surprise for me. Honestly, it was a surprise to everyone, even coach Walton. I still don’t understand what motivated the management to make such a decision. I did not try to find out the details. They don’t want to put me in, so I don’t want to also”.
Mozgov also revealed that the coaching situation in Cleveland was hard for him. When asked who was the coach which he found the most difficult to communicate with, his answer was straight: “Tyrone Lue. We never found a common language. It was the most difficult thing for some reason.”
Still the Russian big man would have been happy to stay with the Cavs : “It was hard to leave the champs for a club that can’t compete not for the title, but for the playoffs. Of course, it was hard. And this also applies to the players and their attitude. They face very different challenges. My best friend in the team was Marcelo Huertas, until he left. Still I had a good relationship with a guy who worked as an assistant coach on physical preparation. But he was fired. I get along well with everyone, I just can’t say that I am close to anyone”.
And of course his pick for winning the title is Cleveland: “Last year, when Golden State led in the series 3-1, no one believed in us. I think something like that will happen again this year. My prediction is the Cavs win it 4-3″.