When LeBron James made his move back to the Cleveland Cavaliers one of the players he bragged about reuniting with was Anderson Varejao. The center is the lone big man on the roster and the anchor of the Cavaliers defense under the rim. However, Cleveland is now playing in the hole as Varejao's season is officially over thanks to a torn Achilles.
The Cavaliers confirmed that Varejao is officially out for the season with a torn Achilles after he landed awkwardly in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He left the floor without being able to put any weight on his left foot and tests confirmed the injury. Losing the center is a big hit to the team's long-term plans. For the short-term, Tristan Thompson will just into the starting role as Varejao recovers. Reserves like Lou Amundson and Brendan Haywood will also see extended playing time.
For the long-term, the Cavaliers will likely begin to explore trade options for a center, something they have been considering since the start of the year. The Cavaliers possess a $5.2 million trade exception which will held absorb any contract acquired in a trade. The Cavaliers are limited in what they will be willing to give up in a deal. They cannot trade their own first-round pick in 2015 since they already traded their 2016 pick to the Boston Celtics. They do have a protected first-round pick from Memphis that could be dealt.
The Cavaliers have big and small options available to them in a trade. The team could go big and try to acquire Brook Lopez from the Brooklyn Nets. ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting the Nets are seeking a deal for the center. Injuries have been an issue, but for now he is healthy. Lopez has the ideal contract to acquire. The center has a player option for 2015 that he will likely opt out of giving the Cavaliers some freedom.
Greg Monroe could be an option for Cleveland. The center is working off a one-year qualifying offer from the Detroit Pistons and is unlikely to re-sign in the offseason. However, the Pistons just got rid of Josh Smith via a release and might be reluctant to deal Monroe as well. The Cavaliers could turn to Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov who they have connected with since the season began. The injury might push the team to get a deal done. Other options include Kosta Koufos of the Memphis Grizzlies or Brandan Wright of the Celtics who was just acquired in the Rajon Rondo trade.
