Zaza Pachulia A Good Fit For Cleveland Cavaliers?

Rather than making a major trade for a defensive-minded center, the Cleveland Cavaliers could look to an NBA veteran like Zaza Pachulia

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to continue to add veterans to round out their roster. They’ve already signed forward Shawn Marion and wings Mike Miller and James Jones and are still the favorite to sign Ray Allen at some point this season.

There are many who believe they need another defensive-minded big man (They have Anderson Varejao, who was named the starter on Friday, and Tristan Thompson up front now). Many think they can use their assets to pull of a big deal to get a player like Detroit Pistons‘ big man Greg Monroe (he isn’t a defensive-minded player but he is an All-Star type of talent) but some believe a rather minor trade, like acquiring Milwaukee Bucks‘ center Zaza Pachulia would do the trick.

“I think there are other avenues they’d try to pursue to find a starting-caliber center first,” Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors explained. “But maybe they’d look at a guy like Zaza Pachulia, who’s been to the playoffs several times and whose salary would fit almost precisely with that exception. Not an eye-popping name, but if we’re talking backup centers, he’d be a legit choice.”

Provided he can stay relatively healthy (he missed 29 games last year and is currently dealing with a hamstring injury), Zaza Pachulia could be a nice fit in Cleveland.

Zaza Pachulia averaged 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 25.0 minutes per game while shooting 42.7% from the floor and 84.6% from the free throw line last season. In his 11-year career, the 42nd-overall pick of the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic has averaged 6.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the floor and 74.0% from foul line.

He spent his first season in Orlando before being dealt to the Bucks. After one year, he joined the Atlanta Hawks for eight seasons and returned to Milwaukee in 2013.

Rather than making a major trade for a defensive-minded center, the Cleveland Cavaliers could look to an NBA veteran like Zaza Pachulia

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