Hooped Up

Cleveland Cavaliers deliver a thorough throttling of the ‘wait ’til next year’ Knicks, 124-93
Ultimately salary cap space doesn’t show up in the box score. That’s a lesson that the Knicks have been swallowing just about every night for the last two years and they took it again Monday night one more time from a team they would dearly love to plunder. Looking like a collection of guys playing out the string of their contracts, the New York Knicks were throttled by the Cavs, 124-93.

It was a three-game season series sweep for the Cavs (47-14), who collected their fourth straight win and eighth in row against the Knicks (20-39) dating back two seasons.

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Pau Gasol can’t win with that kinda mathematical defense down low.

Anthony Parker finds a driving Anderson Varejao who finishes with the one-handed slam on the world of Taj Gibson, to give a kid in Brazil a sweet poster to hang on his wall. Pick-n-roll defense kids, pick-n-roll defense.

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs.

The Cavaliers did a massive overhaul on an already good team in hopes of making it great, but the buck still stops at MVP LeBron James just like last year. Read More »

The Cavs have agreed on a new contract with forward Anderson Varejao, agent Dan Fegan said Wednesday. In addition, a league source said the Cavs have come to terms on a deal for free agent guard Anthony Parker. He could complete the that deal within the next few days.

Varejao, the team’s versatile big man who became a starter last season, is set to get a six-year contract that could be worth as much as $50 million.

“Andy wanted to stay in Cleveland,” Fegan said. “He feels there is unfinished business — to win an NBA championship.”

Varejao had interest from several teams, including the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder, and other potential sign-and-trade offers from other teams without salary-cap space.

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Last year I got a henna tattoo that said “built to last” after I bought an 89 Ford Tempo and the tattoo lasted longer than the car. Built to last my @ss! Anyway during a Cavaliers practice, Andersen Varejao showed off his Sharpie ink to his teammates that will automatically make him the second best option in the Cavs offense and hilarity ensues.

For his next joke I think he should pull up in my old Tempo, it’ll definitely get a laugh.

The Brazilian power forward and energy man might be on his way to Golden State.

One possible destination for Varejao is the Golden State Warriors. According to a source familiar with the talks, the Cavs would send Varejao and the No. 19 pick to Golden State for Brandan Wright. The Warriors hold a $10 million trade exception that allows them to take back a lot more money than they send out in a trade.

ESPN.com

Anderson Varejao still needs to have visa issues worked out, travel from Brazil and pass a physical, making Tuesday’s home game against Indiana a likely time for his return.

“I’m happy to be back in Cleveland and grateful to the Bobcats for their offer because that helped to get this deal done,” said Varejao, who is now in Los Angeles. “I got what I wanted, so now let’s forget what happened (during the negotiations) and move on.”

Cavs’ General Manager Danny Ferry said it was a long and difficult process for both sides.

“We’re now looking forward to getting Andy back and seeing him back on the court,” Ferry said.

After months of being unable to get a deal done with the Cavaliers, Anderson Varejao accepted a three-year, $17.4 million offer sheet from the Charlotte Bobcats late Monday, Varejao’s agent, Dan Fegan, said. The deal has an opt-out clause after two seasons, which is the key part of the deal. But team sources said the Cavs will match the offer and Varejao will likely be with the team within the next week. However, there’s a chance the team will wait a few days to do so as it evaluates options with the roster.

Akron Beacon Journal

It would appear that Dan Fegan is going to stick to his guns until the Cavs cave, and considering he’s the agent who got Shandon Anderson $42M and Howard Eisley $41M, he’s a bloody genius with big guns. Of course, it was an entirely different market in those days, and while everyone likes Andy, it’s hard to justify giving $9M per to a 7-and-7 guy. As for sign-and-trades, the guy never received an offer sheet, so how many other teams are really willing to go that high?

Newark Star-Ledger