Los Angeles Lakers fill 'area of need' by signing C Timofey Mozgov

The Los Angeles Lakers made it official on Friday by signing center Timofey Mozgov, who agreed to a four-year deal worth $64 million.

"Timofey is a player who has shown the ability to change the game at the defensive end, and fills an area of need for us at the center position," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. "We are very pleased to add him to our team."

Mozgov, who turns 30 on July 16, averaged 6.3 points and 4.4 rebounds for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season in a reserve role during the team's NBA championship run. The 7-foot-1 center earned $5 million in 2015-16.

The Cavaliers traded two first-round picks to the Denver Nuggets for Mozgov in January 2015. In 2014-15, he averaged 10.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 46 games, and started all 20 games during the postseason.

Mozgov's role this past season was reduced and he averaged just 1.2 points in 5.8 minutes during the postseason, including a combined 25 minutes in Cleveland's seven-game NBA Finals win over the Warriors.