Varejao was dealt to Portland at the deadline in a 3 team deal that netted Cleveland veteran forward Channing Frye from Orlando.
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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao (17) rebounds beside Los Angeles Lakers center Roy Hibbert (17) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena.
“ESPN sources say that Golden State is among the teams contemplating a run at soon-to-be free agent Anderson Varejao”, revealed Marc Stein via social media.
Varejao played for 11 1/2 seasons with the Cavs, posting career averages of 7.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in an average of 25 minutes per game.
On social media and on Cleveland radio talk shows, the reaction to Varejao joining Golden State was immediate and predictable. The Trail Blazers immediately cut him in a salary-cap move, and the Warriors expressed interest in the 33-year-old.
Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com also released a message from the player saying that the content Varejao has signed a deal with the Warriors. It’s hard to play for this particular team if you lack an advanced feel for the game. He was waived Friday by Portland, which acquired him from Cleveland a day earlier. With the elite playmaking ability of Warriors players from all five positions, he is a welcome addition to the defending champions. Theoretically, the Warriors were the team that had everything, a team that didn’t need a disruption. With Golden State’s Big Three of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green handling much of the offensive and defensive load, Varejao will look to provide solid minutes off the bench.
Varejao said his friendships with former Cavaliers teammates Shaun Livingston, Marreese Speights and Luke Walton along with countryman Leandro Barbosa weighed heavily in choosing the Warriors. I know I’m very fortunate.
“I wanted to go to a team with a chance to fight for the title”, Varejao said in a statement in Portuguese.
Golden State sought out another big man with starting center Andre Bogut nursing a strained right Achilles and key backup Festus Ezeli out until at least late March with an injured left knee.
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The NBA veteran holds career averages of 14.4 points and 9.2 rebounds.
