Anderson Varejao might be eligible to receive a 2016 championship ring, after all. That is, if he wants one. Despite the Golden State Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, the Warriors big man is eligible for a ring through his time with the Cavs. Varejao spent the first 11 1/2 seasons with Cleveland, including the first half of the 2015-16 season before he was traded to Portland at the trade deadline. The Trail Blazers then waived Varejao and he signed with the Warriors on what looked to be a push for his first championship.
The Cavs ruined that for him in two ways (trade from title-winning team and beating his team in the Finals), but are allowed to vote for him to receive a ring if they want to be so magnanimous. However, even if they do decide they want him to have a ring as a member of the 2015-16 team, it sounds like Varejao will decline the offer.
Varejao eligible to receive a championship ring from time with #Cavs, but told he has no plans to accept after finishing with #Warriors.
— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) July 17, 2016
It makes sense. It would kind of feel like a pity ring in some ways, even if it's meant with the utmost respect for the time he spent with the organization. Varejao is now a member of the Warriors after spending the rest of the season with them, getting significant time during the playoffs and re-signing with them this offseason. With the addition of Kevin Durant to the Warriors, Varejao has his best chance ever to end up with a championship ring that isn't gifted to him by a former employer.
Varejao didn't choose to not be on the Cavaliers for the rest of the season either. They moved him in the deal to acquire Channing Frye, who was a big weapon for them in the Eastern Conference playoff run before hardly playing in the Finals. It was a last-ditch effort by Cavs GM David Griffin to bolster the roster and it worked just about perfectly.
