Anderson Varejao (foot) to have MRI - BOSTON INVOLVED IN TALKS WITH CLEVELAND

ESPNBOSTON

By Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein | ESPN.com

Kevin Love had 20 points and 10 rebounds in his first game against the Timberwolves since leaving Minnesota, Anderson Varejao left the game with an injury, but Cleveland topped the Timberwolves 125-104.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao will undergo an MRI on his left foot Wednesday that could reveal a potential long-term injury.

Varejao landed awkwardly in the third quarter of Tuesday's 125-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and left the floor without being able to put weight on the leg. Initial tests weren't able to determine the severity of the injury. League sources told ESPN.com that the Cavs fear one potential outcome is a torn Achilles.

Varejao left Quicken Loans Arena on crutches and with his leg immobilized in an air cast.


Anderson Varejao will undergo an MRI on Wednesday on his left foot, which forced him out of the Cavs' 125-104 win over the Timberwolves. The Cavs fear it could be a long-term injury.
Following the game, coach David Blatt provided little detail about Varejao's injury.

"He has an ankle injury of some sort," Blatt said. "I really don't know right now."

If Varejao is out for a significant period, it's believed the Cavs will intensify their monthslong efforts to trade for a big man. The team has been seeking additional help for its front line going back to the summer, having specifically targeted Timofey Mozgov of the Denver Nuggets and Kosta Koufos of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Sources say the Cavs, in recent days, have been in contact with the Boston Celtics about working as a facilitator in three-team trade scenarios. The Celtics, blessed with frontcourt depth in the wake of their recent acquisition of Brandan Wright in the Rajon Rondo deal, have been aggressive recently in their attempts to acquire future draft picks.

The Cavs cannot trade their own 2015 first-round pick because they already sent their 2016 pick to the Celtics in a previous deal. But they do own a protected Memphis first-rounder that they could trade.

The Cavs also possess a $5.2 million trade exception to use in a potential deal, which is one of the reasons they sought Mozgov and Koufos, as both of their contracts could fit into that exception.

The Cavs signed Varejao, who has missed 166 games with various injuries over the past four seasons, to a three-year, $30 million extension in October. He has been having a good offensive season as LeBron James' favorite pick-and-roll partner, shooting 55 percent from the field and averaging 10 points and 6.6 rebounds.

Tristan Thompson likely will step into the starting role for Varejao as he recovers. The injury also could mean additional playing time for reserves Lou Amundson and Brendan Haywood.

112288

Why on earth would the Celtics want Varejao and his $30 million contract. Oh that's right we need more draft picks because we do not have enough.

dboss

DBOSS,

YOU GOT IT WRONG. THEY NEED ANOTHER CENTER AND WE ARE STOCKED SO WE MAY BE IN IT TO GET #1 DRAFT PICK NOT VAREJAO.

112288

It will be interesting to see, they have pretty much nothing that they are willing to trade that is of any real value. Love/LeBron/Irving are obviously staying put and the rest of the players are either end of rotation players or "people playing for a ring"/LeBron followers (marion/james/miller).

So they are pretty much hoping for somebody to be charitable?

I guess that is why a third team is needed to facilitate a deal.

112288

112288 wrote:I guess that is why a third team is needed to facilitate a deal.

112288

So someone else can provide the trade material they cant? I understand that they can offer some salary relief with their TPE but what player could they get that is also worth keeping around for them when they can not sweeten the deal with anything else of value when it comes to draft picks and/or players. As long as they have LeBron their draft picks will be pretty much worthless, the memphis pick is not that super either. I understand that they will try and get a third team involved but they have to offer SOMETHING to either of the teams.

Swede,

If they were to take Wallace off our hand + our new center for a first rounder....that would be enough for me.

112288

Let's give them Fav for Varejao. Nothing like exchanging damaged goods.


KJ

KJ,

Fav was released last week.

112288

112288 wrote:Swede,

If they were to take Wallace off our hand + our new center for a first rounder....that would be enough for me.

112288

This is something they could do, take on "bad contracts", to provide value in the trade. But they are over the salary cap no? So they would have to match the salaries (sans the exception which would cover wright) so the celtics would have to take on varejao or similar. I am just finding it difficult to see how they will be able to get a "quality big man" with what they can offer. Time will tell

Thompson

that $5M trade exception they have.

both could nab either Mozgov or Koufas, which are type of players they seem to be looking at.

not sure how Boston fits in unless Cleveland is looking for a higher priced guy not listed in the article.

Question is why would those teams want to trade Koufas or Mozgov? They seem to be solid players at good value no?