Cleveland Cavaliers: Right Move to Extend Anderson Varejao?

Value to the Team

As previously alluded to, the 32-year-old Anderson Varejao has career averages of 7.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 25.9 minutes of action. Those are strong and consistent numbers that, paired with an infectious level of energy, have made him a local fan favorite.

In recent seasons, he’s also become a downright excellent player.

In 2010-11, Varejao burst onto the scene with averages of 9.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He followed that campaign up with 10.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest in 2011-12.

In 2012-13, Varejao was projected to be an All-Star with marks of 14.1 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Unfortunately, the 2012-13 season was just like the two that preceded it.

Varejao played no more than 31 games in 2010-11, 2011-12 or 2012-13. I’ll touch on that in a second.

The Brazilian center battled back from injuries and turned in a productive 2013-14 season that won the organization over. He had 8.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals on 27.7 minutes of action, further establishing himself as one of the more reliable-when-healthy big men in the Eastern Conference.

Paired with Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, the Cavaliers may have the best rebounding interior in basketball.