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Damn 6 Million a year for side show Bob?
Cavs' tandem could be split
Bob Finnan
07/07/2007
If Varejao gets a big offer the Cavs decide to match, team could trade forward Gooden
The Cavaliers' one-two punch at power forward might be as talented, productive and deep as any in the NBA.
But does the organization really want to break up the tandem of Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao?
If the Cavaliers are forced to match an offer sheet to Varejao from the Memphis Grizzlies that they deem exuberant, league sources say they have entertained thoughts of dealing Gooden. The Cavs are already paying Gooden $6.4 million this year. In their thinking, they can't justify paying Varejao more than the starter. It's unclear whether Memphis has formally given Varejao an offer sheet, but if the Grizzlies haven't, one appears to be coming. A call to Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan, wasn't returned on Friday.
Bulls forward Andres Nocioni has agreed to a five-year, $38 million deal with Chicago, but he can't sign the contract until Wednesday. Nocioni supposedly was No. 1 on the Grizzlies' free-agent wish list. With him off the table, Memphis likely will come after the 6-foot-10, 240-pound Varejao. The Grizzlies can offer a contract starting at more than $8 million for the valuable Brazilian big man.
Sources say the Cavs are not going to let Varejao walk away from the team for nothing. He's a restricted free agent, and they can match any offer.
Right now, the Cavs have the best of both worlds with their tag-team approach of Gooden and Varejao. They have much flexibility. If one player struggles, they can ride the other and still get the job done.
Neither player is an All-Star, but together they're very effective.
There are teams out there that like Gooden enough to want to trade for him, along with one of the bad contracts on the Cavs' roster, in exchange for perhaps a point guard.
Gooden averaged 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season, while Varejao added 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. Together, that's 17.9 points and 15.2 rebounds per game.
If the Cavaliers decide to break up that dynamic duo, they might regret it. Not only will they need to find another big man capable of playing major minutes, but one who can generate some numbers. The free-agent market is not deep with talented big men. The next best big man is Orlando's Darko Milicic.
It's not out of the question for the Cavs to also entertain offers for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and forward Donyell Marshall, although their market value is limited. Also, a sign-and-trade deal with Varejao is possible, even though the goal is to bring him back.
New D League team
The Cavs will be affiliated with the new Rio Grande Valley Vipers, who are owned in part by two Quicken Loans Arena season-ticket holders (Mark Pollard and Steve Demetriou), along with several local owners in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas. The Cavs share their Rio Grande Valley affiliation with Houston and New Orleans.
http://www.news-herald.com/site/news...id=21848&rfi=6
Damn 6 Million a year for side show Bob?
He needs those extra 2 million for hair products.
Yeah but what does the other 4 go to?
Id go with Gooden, but hey i bet dallas could use one of them.
Varejao has zero talent but all heart.
Gooden has some decent talent but zero heart.
Both of them have ty hairdos.
Tough choice for the Cavs.
Definitely Varejao. Gooden can shoot and board (at least in the Finals), but I don't like his D or his brain.
I agree...his defeatist at ude in the Finals said "I'm just happy to be here...no one expects me to compete with Tim Duncan"
It was pretty sad.
Cavs need to sign Nick Van Exel.
IMHO, Gooden contract is not that bad considering NBA typical bigman contract, and fact that Gooden & Varejao CAN play alongside together, it would be stupid for the Cavs to trade him if they can't get a sizable value back. Varejao can play both bigman spot (PF & C), and i must say the FO has made mistake in signing Ilgauskas with that deadweight contract that he didn't earn in the 1st place.
They need to do a sign and trade. Sign Varejao and trade Lebron to the grizzles.
I was sitting 3rd row back from the hoop when the Cavs got blown out by Orlando in Feb. (mabye Jan.) and towards the end Drew Gooden missed his first free throw and everyone started booing him. During his 2nd I yelled out "Drew, shave your neck!" Well he missed the 2nd. Lebron got the rebound and was fouled, and while standing on the line, Gooden turned to me and yelled for me to " off" True story.
Really? wow...
Anderson Varejao is a talented flopper, I'll give him that much.
I think this will be the stupidest move the FO made. They has Gooden and Varejao and instead locked up their salary flexibility with an aging, unathletic center that relies on a jump shot and plays no defense.
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