In June, the Los Angeles Lakers made a drastic roster move. They sent Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets together with D'Angelo Russell. The Lakers received Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (used to select Kyle Kuzma) in return. One of the purposes of that trade is to get rid of Mozgov's pricey deal. The Lakers signed the Russian big man to a four-year, $64 million contract in 2016.

The time of Mozgov with the Los Angeles Lakers is something to forget. In the 2016-17 season, his first and only year with the Lakers, Mozgov was expected to help the franchise as it continued to rebuild. Unfortunately, that did not happen with the 31-year-old center struggling to have a significant impact.

When the Lakers sent Mozgov to the Nets, it seemed like he was going to get another chance to redeem himself. The Nets indeed rewarded him an opportunity to resurrect his career. In the first 13 outings of the Nets this season, Mozgov started. However, in his 14th game with them, he came off the bench.

In the Nets' 118-107 win over the Utah Jazz on November 17, Mozgov did not even see action.

ESPN stated in its report that as the season continues, a "limited role" is likely for Mozgov. That possibility might also mean that he will no longer be the starting center for the Nets. Mozgov is in a difficult situation because what took place when he was with the Lakers, is occurring all over again now that he is playing for the Nets.

Replacing Mozgov

In the past two games of the Brooklyn Nets, it was Trevor Booker who replaced Timofey Mozgov in the starting unit. Booker has provided decent performances so far. In a 109-102 loss to the Boston Celtics on November 14, Booker tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

When the Nets defeated the Utah Jazz, 118-107, Booker registered 14 points, five rebounds, with three assists. With the way things are going, it looks like the Nets and head coach Kenny Atkinson will stick with Booker as their starting center.

Lakers win

As the NBA season rolls, it appears that the Los Angeles Lakers won their trade with the Brooklyn Nets earlier this year. Brook Lopez is among the bright spots for the Lakers this season. The one-time All-Star is averaging 15.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks per contest. Meanwhile, the rookie dubbed as the steal of the draft, Kyle Kuzma, is currently the top-scorer for the purple and gold franchise with his 16.4 points per game.