CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Cavs signed Anderson Varejao to a 10-day contract Tuesday and the plan is for him to finish the season in Cleveland.
The move, which had been in the works for days, comes after the team received an injury hardship exception from the league.
“Cleveland is home,” Varejao said via Zoom Tuesday morning. “I was always ready to come back.”
Varejao played for the Cavs from 2005-2015 before being traded to Portland as part of a three-team deal and he returned to Cleveland for 31 games during the 2015-16 season before moving on to Golden State for the 2016-17 season.
It is the last time he played in the NBA.
Varejao just missed out on the team’s NBA championship in 2016 but he collected a ring with the Warriors the following year.
“Even though I was on the other side, I was happy for them to get the ring and celebrate because this city deserved it, and the fans deserve it,” Varejao said. “I’m happy for them, the most important thing now is that I’m back with the wine and gold.”
He hopes to bring some of his experience to a young Cavs team that is once again limping towards the NBA Draft Lottery.
“I’m going to enjoy this moment,” Varejao said. “Hopefully, I can get out there and do some crazy things like Andy used to do back in the day. But the main thing is just to be back with the guys and kind of help the younger guys, to help them understand that you cannot take anything for granted.
“No matter what’s going on, it could always get worse, you know. So just enjoy the moment, enjoy what’s going on right now and we’ll see.
I’m excited. I’m anxious to see how it’s going to be.”
Varejao played professionally for two seasons in Brazil, the last being 2018-19 during the World Cup in China.
“He embodies and personifies what we want to be,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Hopefully he can be a role model.”
Cavs GM Koby Altman contacted Varejao earlier in the season about a possible return but ramped up his pursuit last week and the big man from Bazil, nicknamed Wild Thing, said that he had received contract offers since last playing basketball professionally.
"Andy embodies all that the city of Cleveland stands for and beyond, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring his experience, leadership and character back into this locker room,” Altman said in a statement explaining the signing. “His infectious work ethic and commitment to our community have earned him his rightful place in the fabric of this organization and all of Northeast Ohio, and have established a genuine admiration that resonates strongly throughout our passionate fan base. There are not many athletes who can impact the game of basketball the way Andy has over his career, and I feel that our players will benefit greatly from their daily interaction with him. We are thrilled to welcome Andy and family back to the Cavaliers.”
Varejao, who was a member of six Cavs playoff teams, was originally selected 30th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft before being acquired via trade by the Cavs a month later.
He averaged 7.6 points on .512 shooting and 7.5 rebounds in 25.0 minutes over 591 regular season games, 208 starts.
Varejao still ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in offensive rebounds (fourth, 1,479), defensive rebounds (seventh, 2,955), total rebounds (sixth, 4,434), games played (eighth, 591), blocks (tied-eighth, 397) and steals (eighth, 529). He earned NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2009-10.