The Golden State Warriors are considering signing free-agent big man Anderson Varejao after he clears waivers, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. Varejao was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, then waived.
The Warriors are still "in fact-finding mode," per ESPN, but you can bet that guard Leandro Barbosa, a longtime teammate of Varejao's on the Brazilian national team, will have positive things to say about him.
Varejao, at his best, is a solid team and individual defender and a creative finisher at the rim. He hasn't been at his best in a while, though, and could never hold onto a solid spot in Cleveland's rotation this season.
If Golden State decides to make a run at the 33-year-old, it would have to waive somebody. The most obvious candidate there would be Jason Thompson, another veteran forward who has been collecting DNP-CDs.
The Warriors, of course, have to gauge Varejao's interest before making room for him. If he simply wants to chase a championship, then this would be the best landing spot. If he wants to play real minutes, though, he likely has to look elsewhere. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks are all interested, according to ESPN.
Varejao, who was in his 12th year with the Cavs before the trade, penned a letter to his fans in Cleveland on Friday.
