Zaza Pachulia Addresses Trade To Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks were left scrambling to find an inside presence when talented center DeAndre Jordan reneged on his verbal agreement to join the club in free agency and decided to return to Los Angeles. The loss of Jordan’s commitment was magnified due to the fact that the Mavericks lost former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler in free agency to the Phoenix Suns.

Enter veteran center Zaza Pachulia.

The Mavericks traded a future second round pick to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Pachulia who started 88 games for the franchise the past two seasons.

Dallas will be Pachulia’s fourth franchise and first foray into the Western Conference. While Pachulia was admittedly excited about Milwaukee’s young core, the veteran took the news in stride about being dealt to Dallas and is ready to get to work with his new teammates.

“I know that I’m going to a first class organization,” Pachulia told Basketball Insiders via text message. “I’m very excited and looking forward to the next chapter in my career.”

Pachulia, who is entering the final year of his current deal, has averages of 9.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and two assists in 317 career games as a starter. Pachulia signed a three-year deal with Milwaukee back in 2013 with the expectation he would serve as the primary backup for promising big man Larry Sanders. But various injuries and the subsequent retirement of Sanders thrust Pachulia into a more prominent role with the Bucks, where he performed admirably in the expanded role.

The Mavericks, according to multiple reports, are expected to sign former All-Star guard Deron Williams who recently reached a buyout agreement with the Brooklyn Nets. The Mavericks lost out to Brooklyn in 2012 when Williams was a free agent.