Žydrūnas Ilgauskas has played all of his 625 NBA games with the Cleveland Cavs.

He has started 586 of those games, including the last 534 games he has played in.

However this season, the 7-3 center will likely be coming off the bench after Cleveland acquired Shaquille O’Neal in a trade with the Phoenix Suns.

“I’ll probably be coming off the bench.” Ilgauskas told the New York Daily News the day the trade was announced.

And he is right, but the center from Lithuania doesn’t have any reservations about coming off the bench to the newly-acquired Shaquille O’Neal, who will likely take the starting role.

To Big Z, it isn’t about ego or starting, but after eleven years of starting in Cleveland, Ilgauskas admits that it will take some time to adjust, “I’m going to have to find the right mind-set, how to prepare for games and everything else,” said Ilgauskas,  “It is something I have to learn on the fly because I’ve been starting for so long.”

His rationale is common for a veteran player without a championship,“I’m 34 years old and I want to win a championship.” Ilgauskas said. “Whatever helps me get that, I’m all for it.”

It’s helps that the player replacing him in the starting lineup is considered one of the best NBA players ever.

“Shaq is the best center I ever played against, so if anybody is going to replace me in the starting lineup,” said Ilgauskas, who has averaged 14.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in his career.. “I don’t mind it being (Shaq) at all.”

“At this point in my career, I really want to win.”

Notes:  Ilgauskas and his wife, Jennifer, recently adopted two young boys, orphan brothers, 4-year old Povilas and 5-year old Deividas from an orphanage in his hometown of Kaunas, Lithuania. Two years ago, Jennifer lost twins late in her pregnancy.