NBA Trade Rumors 2016: Where Is Anderson Varejao Headed?
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Anderson Varejao emotionally parted ways when the team traded him to get their hands on Channing Frye of the Orlando Magic. The Brazilian center has seen a huge dip in his numbers this season, but sources are saying that the interest in him in the free agent market is quite substantial.
There are several teams that lack depth in the center/power forward position and Varejao is an ideal piece to provide the hustle and defensive mindset. He's not a polished offensive player, but he takes care of the job of rebounding and defending the paint.
ESPN's Mark Stein reported that both the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs are making their own pitches to get the veteran, although there are no specific details as to what they're really offering him and how much are they willing to invest in him. For Dallas, the decision to make a push for Varejao will depend on how it goes with their negotiations to acquire another big man in David Lee.
After the Cavs got Frye, Varejao was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team deal, but was immediately waived. With him available to sign with any team in the league, it should be interesting to see which one will win it, though he definitely would want to end up to a title contender considering his age.
Update: Warriors Emerging as Top Contender
The latest update as of Sunday night came from the Associated Press, saying that the Golden State Warriors have agreed to sign the 33-year-old for the remainder of the season. The source said that the recent injuries to the reigning champion's two frontline players in Festus Ezeli and Andrew Bogut eventually led to the decision to acquire Varejao.
If this deal pushes through, then he'll get the best chance of winning a championship with the Warriors. Varejao is a 12-year NBA veteran who spent his entire career playing for the Cavaliers. He still is searching for his first title in the league.
