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Cleveland Cavaliers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Cavaliers

By Phil Watson

Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; A general view of a painting outside of Quicken Loans Arena prior to game six of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; A general view of a painting outside of Quicken Loans Arena prior to game six of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao (17) gets a rebound during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao (17) gets a rebound during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

156. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Orlando Magic, July 23, 2004.. C-PF. 2004-16. Anderson Varejao. 11. player

The Orlando Magic had selected Brazilian big man Anderson Varejao in the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft and traded his rights to the Cleveland Cavaliers less than a month later along with Drew Gooden and Steven Hunter in exchange for Tony Battie and second-round picks in 2005 and 2007.

And that set the stage for more than a decade in Cleveland for Varejao.

CLE_11_VAREJAO
CLE_11_VAREJAO /

An All-Defensive selection in 2009-10, Varejao battled through numerous injuries during his time with the Cavaliers.

He was a reserve on their 2007 NBA Finals team, averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 24.5 minutes per game, shooting 10-for-15/—/10-for-16 as the Cavs were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs.

He did not play in the 2015 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors due to an Achilles injury.

On Feb. 18, 2016,, Varejao was traded with a 2018 first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a three-team deal, with Cleveland also sending Jared Cunningham to the Orlando Magic, while acquiring Channing Frye from the Magic.

Waived the same day by Portland, Varejao landed with the Warriors as a free agent four days later and played in six of the seven NBA Finals games against the Cavaliers last June.

In parts of 12 seasons with Cleveland, Varejao averaged 7.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game, shooting .512/.024/.632.

Varejao was a second-round pick out of FC Barcelona in Spain in 2004. On July 17, 2016, he agreed to a veteran’s minimum one-year deal to remain with Golden State.

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