NBA veteran big man, Zaza Pachulia, reportedly turned down a huge payday, and instead signed with the Golden State Warriors, with the hopes of winning an NBA championship in the upcoming season.
The quest for an NBA ring has led plenty of players to take pay-cuts and sign with big teams for the chance at the Larry O'Brien, and Zaza Pachulia is indeed one of them. Pachulia has been around the league for some time now, and at the age of 32, he has his eyes set on basketball's biggest prize, winning an NBA title, even if it meant leaving a bit of money on the table.
The Warriors had to make plenty of sacrifices by acquiring Kevin Durant over the summer. Not only did they have to stretch out their salary cap, they also had to let go some of their key players, including centers Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli. Now in order to improve on their lacking position, they need a new center, and one that wouldn't cost so much. Luckily for them, Pachulia had the mindset of winning a championship, regardless of the price of the contract.
According to The Mercury News, when Pachulia was asked about the details of how much he would lose financially by signing with the Warriors, he replied "a significant amount." Pachulia says that he received offers from other teams that were way more than what the Warriors presented, but the allure of playing for a serious title contender, such as the Warriors, sealed the deal.
Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, was excited with Pachulia's signing, saying that Pachulia is a big man that would suit their deadly offense, a league veteran who has remained consistent throughout the years, and is a great yet underrated role player.
Prior to signing with Golden State, Pachulia had a pretty solid season with the Mavericks, where he averaged 8.6 points and 9.8 rebounds, and was rumored for an All-Star selection, according to CBS Sports.
