Anderson Varejao is nearing a contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing to open their season tonight against the New York Knicks, and are also closing in on a contract extension with big man Anderson Varejao. Both sides have been talking about this extension for awhile, but it appears that the deal is nearing completion according to a report from ESPN’s Marc Stein.
Here in Cleveland today, ESPN sources say Cavs & Anderson Varejao nearing agreement on three-year extension believed to be worth $30 million
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 30, 2014
It isn’t a surprise at all, but might be a bit too expensive for a 32-year-old center that has had quite a few injury issues in recent years. He is one of LeBron James‘ best friends, which is another big reason for the Cavaliers to get this deal done soon. Either way, Varejao is a fan favorite and is a hard worker when he’s on the court and is the type of glue player that contenders need to have on their roster.
Take a look at Varejao’s numbers from last season with Cleveland:
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/30/2014.
Those numbers aren’t incredibly impressive, but they are solid and that is the perfect word to describe Varejao. The Cavaliers are very loyal to the players that are loyal to them, and that is being seen by this move. It’s good to see Varejao agree to a deal to stay with Cleveland long-term, and it would just feel wrong to see him somewhere else.
All of that being said, this deal could go down in the very near future. It sounds like both sides are close to agreeing on something, and the news will likely drop at some point in the next day or two if not sooner. Cleveland is looking to make a run at a championship this season, and Varejao is looking to win his first ring.