This report is from a Brazilian news source stating that he has signed a two year contract with a player option for a third. Clevland can match the offer or allow Varejao to leave because of his restricted status.

http://esporte.uol.com.br/basquete/ultimas/2007/12/04/ult4356u1450.jhtm

Cleveland will match quickly, IMO.

Looks like I've got some translating to do...

Varejão makes right with Charlotte and waits will be release of the Cleveland Of the UOL Command Sport post São Paulo Or wing Brazilian Anderson in this Varejão made right second-fair one contract of three anuses with or Charlotte Bobcats. Or now player waits you the release of the Cleveland Cavaliers you be able you acting by its New equips in the NBA. Anderson Varejão is very close of to play with or Charlotte Bobcats in season PHOTOS TWO GAMES OF SECOND ANDERSON VAREJÃO MADE RIGHT? You Cavs, like has you the priority in the act of contract of Varejão, will have you divides you of this terça one week (I tied or day 11) you covering you two proslug Bobcats. East After period, or wing will be apt you playing in the 2007/2008 season with you shirt of 17 to number of the Charlotte. Restricted agent exempts from or day 1º of July, or Brazilian did not arrive you the one agreement stops you the renewal of its bond with you equips with you which was runner-up gives you the NBA in passed season. "is Was of the nonRio Bread and of the Pre'-Oli'mpico of Fertile valleys and this everything left chateado you me. Be wanted you command post squares, thus like very wants you playing or Pre'-Oli'mpico of anus that comes. I closed contract of one anus (like wanted or Cleveland), this not serious possible. You proslug of the Charlotte was good, and leaves calmer knowing me that goes you be released you playing for the nonPre'-Oli'mpico Brazilian election of anus that comes ", affirmed Varejão. Two contract Bobcats, inclusively, has one clause that offers it to you Anderson Varejão you the choice you remain or in equips anus will not be or third, not passing you being agent exempts. "Or Charlotte is one equips New, that has players talented (or ala/pivô Emeka) Okafor e (or to shipbuilder Raymond) Felton, and is making a good work. I have certainty that US next anuses goes you evolving and you fighting for the first positions. Now twist is you so that everything gives certain, does not see you hour you coming back playing ", said Varejão to you. Last In season, Varejão had averages of 6,8 6,7 points and bounces US playoffs Cavs hairs. Greater Its contribution to equips, not meanwhile, comes of its effort defensive and energy that had become or demijohn two two Cavs one stronger gives league. Current In season, Cleveland and Charlotte lives opposing situations. You Cavs fifth has you better campaign gives Conference East, with novates victories and novates defeats. Already Bobcats position is 11ª gives same conference you, with six victories command post 16 games.

Splendid job Glenn.

Bobcats sign Cavaliers holdout Varejao

The Associated Press
Published: December 4, 2007

CHARLOTTE, N.C.: In need of a big man, the Charlotte Bobcats reached agreement Tuesday on a three-year offer sheet with Cleveland restricted free agent Anderson Varejao, giving the Cavaliers a week to match the deal or lose him.

Financial figures were not available. Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan, could not immediately be reached.

The 6-foot-10 Varejao has been in a prolonged contract dispute with the Cavaliers, which has kept him sidelined this season. He said last week that he would prefer to be traded.

The 25-year-old Varejao averaged 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds last season in helping the Cavaliers reach the NBA finals for the first time.

Bobcats coach Sam Vincent has been pleading for a big man since the beginning of the season. The Bobcats lost Sean May to season-ending knee surgery in training camp. Starting center Primoz Brezec has been ineffective and was replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Jared Dudley Monday night in Toronto, the Bobcats' sixth straight loss.

Before training camp opened, Varejao turned down Cleveland's one-year, $1.2 million qualifying offer. If he had signed that deal, the former second-round pick could have become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

In late October, the Cavaliers rejected a six-year, $52 million package presented by Fegan.

Varejao is known for his energy and defense, and the move comes a day after Vincent questioned his team's focus and preparation following the 98-79 loss to the Raptors.

The Bobcats, with 15 guaranteed contracts, would have to release a player to add Varejao if the Cavaliers don't match the offer.

Odd the Varejao would do this if he wants out of Cleveland so bad. It is kind of a soft offer if you want to scare them away.

Nobody has cap room to give him anything more than the MLE.

Must have wanted to start getting paychecks again.

I suppose that the Bobcats could try and convince Cleveland to S&T him, but in looking at the Bobcats salaries, there really isn't a good match there.

Varejao is known for his hair and dramatic flopping

ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reported the offer sheet is worth $17.4 million, which would fit the Bobcats' mid-level salary cap exception.

Solid reporting there.

TRANSLATION: Bucher knows how much the MLE is worth for 3 years.

why the hell would he sign with them in a deal like this, after such a lengthy holdout? it's like he was holding his position so firmly but then he just totally flopped at the end. (sound familiar?)

the cavs will very easily match the offer and he'll have settled for a lot less money then he wanted all along. i think the cavs original offer is even a lot more per year than this deal is.

very confusing move IMO.

lol @ three anuses

he'll be a free agent sooner this way

Did the contract explain which three anuses they were? That would probably be the deciding factor if Cleveland is going to match...

why the hell would he sign with them in a deal like this, after such a lengthy holdout? it's like he was holding his position so firmly but then he just totally flopped at the end. (sound familiar?)

the cavs will very easily match the offer and he'll have settled for a lot less money then he wanted all along. i think the cavs original offer is even a lot more per year than this deal is.

very confusing move IMO.

His agent fucked up.

so why didn't he just sign a 1 year deal? then he could be an URFA after the season.

3 years just seems like an odd thing to do. or just plain retarded, especially after the lengthy holdout.

The player option for the 3rd year sets him up in case of injury or if he were to flop (unintentionally) on a team without lebron feeding him baskets off the pick and roll.

Cavaliers Match Offer Sheet to Retain Anderson Varejao

CLEVELAND – December 5, 2007 - The Cleveland Cavaliers have matched the Charlotte Bobcats’ contract offer sheet signed by Anderson Varejao, General Manager Danny Ferry announced this morning. By matching the Bobcats’ contract offer sheet, Varejao will now be under contract with the Cavaliers. Per the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

During the 2006-07 season, Varejao, 25, played in 81 games (six starts) averaging 6.8 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game and 23.9 minutes per game. During the 2007 NBA Playoffs, he played in all 20 games and averaged 6.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game. Varejao has played in 183 career games (10 starts) and has averaged 5.6 points and 5.7 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game. He has played in 33 career playoff games and has averaged 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have also waived guard/forward Demetris Nichols. He played in three games for Cleveland and scored two points and grabbed one rebound in 14 minutes.

The Cavaliers roster now stands at 15 players.

Demetris Nichols...hey, isn't that DrTre's guy?

kidding...

Great move by Ferry IMO. So many GMs bend over for these agents.... its great to see a GM finally stick up to them. There was NO ONE in the market who could pay Varejao the money he wanted, so it would have been crazy for the Cavs to pay him so much.

Hopefully this is a lesson learned for other GMs...

The lesson is to potentially sacrifice a few wins just to stick it to a restricted free agent?

I would say that the lesson is you don't have to overpay your RFA... you don't have to be held hostage by the agent... you can play hardball and sign your player at a reasonable rate instead of handicapping yourself with huge overpaid and unmovable contracts.

The cavs would have been better off letting him go for nothing than to pay him $52 million. Yet for some reason you get teams paying players like

they didn't overpay, and they didn't let him go. This is even worse.

Varejao will be pissy for the next 1 1/2 years, on a team that isn't bursting with chemistry to begin with.

In the end, he gets his free agency in 2009, and the Cavs won't get much for his services.

He's not worth $52 million based off his performance to date, but if he were an unrestricted FA, I'd bet someone would ante up $40-45 million for 5 years.

The way I see it, the Cavs have him signed for about 2 years, then he's unrestricted. They can't trade him this year (unless they trade him right now) because his "just signed a contract" trade restriction ends after this year's trade deadline. They could have a hard time getting good value out of him next year because he's unrestricted and doesn't have to stay with who he's traded to. If he gets himself injured, he's not totally screwed with the third-year player's option. He's probably going to get more as an unrestricted FA next year than what he'd get as a restricted FA this year. Who are the young unrestricted bigs out on next year's market?

i wonder how much we'll have to pony up for Maxiell....

Ouch..... I didn't think about that. Well, he's more of an energy player than a star guy, so I'm hoping we won't have to pay him TOO much.

Varejao is an energy guy off the bench, who plays solid D, and gave the Cavs 7 PPG and 7 RPG.

You could definately argue that Maxiell has just as much if not more potential and energy, and this season is producing more than what Varejao did.

So it seems as if at the very least he'll get $40 million over 5 years if he continues his solid play and improvement.

You could definately argue that Maxiell has just as much if not more potential and energy,
Maxiell can't play C. Varejao can.

Tell that to Yahoo Fantasy Basketball.

i wonder how much we'll have to pony up for Maxiell....
Assuming he continues his current level of play, I'm gonna guess right around the MLE. Teams will always have their doubts about a 6-5 PF, regardless of what their eyes tell them.

:mccosky:


No Tractor in Cleveland

Had the Cavaliers not been able to finally re-sign Anderson Varejao, they were toying with the idea of signing former Michigan man Robert "Tractor" Traylor.

"I worked out Saturday and took a physical," said Traylor, who hasn't played in the NBA since 2005. "Once they signed Andy, I knew they were going with their guy. And they should, he's their guy and he's the one that helped them to the (Eastern Conference) championship.

"Sure, I'm disappointed. It would've been great to come back and play with a good group of guys."

Traylor instead will play for a team in the Puerto Rican professional league.

Traylor's playing for the Crabbers, Arroyo's old team.