Varejao and Pavlovic: Would They Be Cavs This Year?
By id_pop
@id_pop (293)
Philippines
October 29, 2007 10:02am CST
Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic are two key components of last year's Eastern Conference champion team, and due to problems with their renegotiations with the Cleveland Cavaliers, they have stayed as restricted free agents up to this point. LeBron James himself has been vocal about the team's need to resign them; after all, why would any general manager allow two key players to find new homes when they've been perfectly alright the previous season, in their conference, at least?
Varejao's absence leaves the Cavaliers short in their frontcourt. If you have seen his hustle and rebounding activities last year, you would know that they NEED him out there. He might not be a good source of points, but does a really good job on the defensive end, drawing a lot of fouls and getting those rebounds for the Cavs. Defense has been important in their last season's success, and without the big man with the crazy hair I don't think they can match that defensive intensity this year. On another note, the Cavaliers' other two big men, Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, would have to play more minutes with him out, and that leaves you wondering: would Big Z have enough in his tank for extended minutes this season? Would they be able to fill the void, and if the are able to, for how long would it be?
Sasha Pavlovic's absence has less impact than his Brazilian teammate, as the Cavaliers now have Devin Brown on their roster. Brown is a player that has a lot of experience having been with a lot of teams, and not only that, he's provides this solution at a cheap price. He gives the Cavaliers the extra player presence they sorely needed in the wake of the two foreign players' absences.
You can expect LeBron James to set the bar a notch or two higher this year, but would that be enough to cover for the two players holding out against the team? Would Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao suit up for the Cavaliers this season?
Those are the questions the Cleveland Cavaliers have to find the answers to, and fast.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@emwiggy (1)
• United States
29 Oct 07
I agree with you both. Varejao is a great asset to the Cavs. He's a great player, and plays with his heart. He's an awesome defender and really is in there to help his team win. Pavlovic, as well, is an assest to the Cavs. His 3 point shooting is huge for the team. That's two spots that would be hard to fill. Hopefully, the Cavs wake up and get those two signed before someone else snatches them up.
1 person likes this
@id_pop (293)
• Philippines
1 Nov 07
Well, it's a good thing to know that at least Sasha Pavlovic's back with the team, ending his contract holdout with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he agreed to the terms of a three-year deal with the team last Tuesday. He briefly appeared and spoke to an interviewer during their opening game at home against the Dallas Mavericks, and I must say that it was one of the only bright moments for the Cavaliers that night which ended in a Dallas win, 92-74.
I can just wonder how much they missed Anderson Varejao and Pavlovic in that loss. They could have made a huge difference on both ends of the court. LeBron James struggled a lot in that game (making only 2-of-11 shots, giving up 5 turnovers, battling foul trouble, and only making his first field goal almost halfway into the third quarter), and a couple more players would have given the Cavaliers more freedom. They played bad, and there were even a few instances when they had the ball and there was a wide opening in the paint where Varejao should be. He should be there in paint anticipating the ball, not having a vacation in Brazil. The Cavaliers really have to get him back on this team before the losses pile up.
@gradyslady (4054)
• United States
29 Oct 07
That's what I keep telling people, I'd rather have them on the team, than to lose the finals to them or something. How horrible would that be!
@gradyslady (4054)
• United States
29 Oct 07
To me, without Andy and Sasha, the Cavaliers will be screwed. Sasha was an amazing starter for the Cavaliers, who knows if they were going to start him this year, but he was doing great. He completely up-ed his game within a season like they asked him to. And Andy, that is going to be one spark off their bench that they're going to regret not signing. I love Andy, I think he's one of the greatest players because you can tell he plays with all heart. He takes those charges for the team, not himself. I think that Danny Ferry needs to wake up and realize, he needs these two on the team. Drew is alright, but he isn't that great on defense where Andy is, and I love big Z, but he's getting older and he can't run up and down the court like Andy can.
1 person likes this
@id_pop (293)
• Philippines
29 Oct 07
It's good to know that people are able to appreciate the beatings players take when they play their hearts out on the court. It's not an easy job to draw all those fouls and contribute all that hustle, and what that does for a team is the intangible moral boost that inspires your teammates to do their best on both ends of the court.
Anderson Varejao is obviously not the most talented player on the court. You can't expect him to just pull up for a jump shot and sink it in an isolation play, you can't rely on him to work wonders for your offense, but when he does what he does best and that is be aware on defense and just go for the ball or the foul, you know he's an important piece on your team. He provides the kind of spirit that meshes well with LeBron's intensity and insane talent, and yes, they're losing a lot more than just the rebounds and charges taken if they don't sign him this year.
1 person likes this
@gradyslady (4054)
• United States
29 Oct 07
I love Anderson, he is my favorite player in the NBA, there is no one like him that has all that energy, that takes all those charges, and then gets back up again to take it again. I love how he has heart and that he loves his team. He's a great player, yeah sure, he's no Lebron James, but still, he's a good player who is playing with Lebron. That's just great stuff right there.
