Timofey Mozgov came off the bench Wednesday and hit 8-of-12 shots for 23 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in a win over the Lakers.

The 23 points tied his career high and was by far his biggest line of the night. J.J. Hickson is starting at center in place of injured JaVale McGee, but it's possible Brian Shaw could change his mind after this line. Pick him up if you want to, but we'd like to see him do something like this again before fully buying in.

Brian Shaw praised Timofey Mozgov after he racked up 11 points and five rebounds in Tuesday's loss to the Spurs.

"He's been doing everything that we've asked him to do, rolling to the basket, running the floor, being a presence in the middle," said coach Brian Shaw . "He's definitely showing steady improvement." Mozgov is playing a steady 21 minutes per game through three games, with averages of 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, good enough to draw some attention in deep leagues.

Timofey Mozgov went 0-of-4 from the field in his return on Wednesday, scoring four points from the line to go with one board in 20 minutes.

He's shot just 37.5 percent from the field in his last five preseason games, but the Nuggets thought it was a good idea to pay him $14 million dollars this summer. Mozgov's knee injury is minor and he'll be posterized by a player at some point this season.

Timofey Mozgov will be a game-time decision on Wednesday due to knee and quad tendon inflammation.

Mozgov has averaged around 15 minutes per game during the preseason and the fact that he's a game-time decision suggests that his injury is minor.The Nuggets have already ruled out Wilson Chandler (hamstring), Kenneth Faried (hamstring) and Danilo Gallinari (knee) for Wednesday, while fellow reserves Nate Robinson (hamstring) and Darrell Arthur (quad) are also questionable.

Timofey Mozgov enters training camp as the Nuggets' projected backup center.

Mozgov re-signed with Denver this summer on a three-year, $14 million contract. It would take an injury to JaVale McGee for Mozgov to have fantasy value, but he's poised for a bigger role after averaging 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 41 appearances last year.

Timofey Mozgov has agreed to a three-year, $14 million deal to stay with the Denver Nuggets.

It's seems like a bit of a steep price for the seven footer. Thanks to Blake Griffin and DeMar DeRozan, Mozgov is best known for being on the wrong end of a highlight-reel dunk. He'll move behind JaVale McGee as the backup center, but the Nuggets may also opt to use J.J. Hickson as their second-unit center. He has no fantasy value.

The Kings are interested in Nuggets RFA Timofey Mozgov, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee.

Mozgov is currently an RFA, but Denver retained his right by tendering the big man a qualifying offer. The Kings could certainly use him as a depth center, but the Nuggets, who only have JaVale McGee under contract at the position, are likely to match any offer sheet from another NBA team.

The Russian team Lokomotiv-Kuban has offered a four-year contract to Nuggets restricted FA Timfey Mozgov.

"We understand that the dream of every basketball athlete is to play in the NBA," said the team's president, Andrey Vedischev. "But we hope that Timofey Mozgov could sign our four-year offer with us." Mozgov is in line for a nice raise and a bigger role this year, whether he's playing for the Nuggets or another NBA team, and the odds of him leaving for Russia are slim.

Timofey Mozgov will compete with the Russian national team during the EuroBasket tournament in September.

Mozgov has been in the NBA for three years, but he was limited to just nine minutes per game in 41 appearances with Denver last season. The 26-year-old big man is expected to receive a qualifying offer from the Nuggets, who already have JaVale McGee and Kosta Koufos at center, and there should be plenty of teams willing to sign him to an offer sheet.

The Nuggets will tender a qualifying contract offer to Timofey Mozgov in the offseason, a source told CSNNW.

Mozgov receiving a qualifying offer would make him a restricted free agent. Mozgov's name was on the trade block leading up to the deadline, so it's possible the club just wants an opportunity to match any deal he might get on the open market.

Timofey Mozgov admitted that his first priority in free agency will be signing with a team that has a role for him.

When asked of Miami's rumored interest, Mozgov said that he didn't care the Heat were title contenders, and he's just focused on playing basketball. "I am not going to sit on the bench even for a champion's ring," he said. Clearly, Mozgov doesn't suffer from any sort of confidence issues.

The Nuggets are "unlikely" to trade Timofey Mozgov before Thursday's deadline, according to Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Mozgov could reportedly be had for the right price, but the Nuggets have already rebuffed overtures from the Heat, as well as the Wolves' offer of Brandon Roy and a first-round pick. He'll likely finish the season as the third-string center in Denver.

The Heat have shown interest in Timofey Mozgov, but a deal appears unlikely.

Miami could just stand pat through the deadline, and unless they find a deal exactly to their liking, that's probably what will happen.

The Nuggets reportedly rejected an offer of Brandon Roy's contract and a future first-round pick from the Timberwolves for Timofey Mozgov.

Interesting. Mozgov is definitely available for the right price, but Denver apparently doesn't have interest in taking on Roy's contract even if it comes with a future first-round pick. The Nuggets will reportedly keep Mozgov unless they get a "crazy good" offer, and we're not sure he's worth that to any other team.

The Nuggets are rumored to be leaning toward keeping Timofey Mozgov unless they receive a "crazy good" trade offer.

The source of the tidbit, ESPN's Marc Stein, prefaces it with the warning that it may be "mere posturing" by someone "plugged into the Nuggets' plans," a warning we'll take the opportunity to echo. Mozgov has been chafing with a limited role behind Kosta Koufos and JaVale McGee, the Heat have already been mentioned as a possible suitor, and Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post wrote in January, "In less than a month, Timofey Mozgov is unlikely to be with the Nuggets." Stay tuned.

Timofey Mozgov scored a season-high 10 points with three rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes on Monday.

The 25 minutes were his second-highest total on the season and he could be in line for more minutes. JaVale McGee could miss time, so Mozgov is worth a look in very deep leagues.

The Denver Post believes Timofey Mozgov will be dealt before the February 21 trade deadline.

It's the second straight report that Mozgov is on the block. The big man has picked up a slew of DNP-Coach's Decision in january, and he's buried on the depth chart behind both Kosta Koufos and JaVale McGee. "I want to play," Mozgov said. "I want to stay. But more than I want to stay, I want to play." The Heat "are among several teams believed to be interested in Mozgov."

The Nuggets "are looking to deal" Timofey Mozgov, league sources told Fox Sports Florida.

It makes sense. Mozgov said he wouldn't be surprised if he were traded, and given he's in the last year of his deal, the Nuggets will at least explore the market. Mozgov is buried behind Kosta Koufos and JaVale McGee ont he depth chart, and he hasn't played more than 15 minutes in a game since December 5.

Timofey Mozgov started at center for Kosta Koufos (flu) on Wednesday and had six points, 13 rebounds and a block against the Hawks.

JaVale McGee had just 11 points, three boards and two blocks in 24 minutes, and the three-headed center monster in Denver isn't fun from a fantasy perspective. But even though he's coming off the bench, McGee is still the best one of the three to own.

Timofey Mozgov (knee) made his Nuggets season debut on Friday, scoring four points on 1-of-3 shooting with four rebounds, one steal, and two assists in 20 minutes off the bench.

Mozgov saw a few extra minutes because of the blowout, and he is the least valuable of the center triumvirate in Denver. Leave him on the wire.