Anderson Varejao is signing a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the remainder of the season, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. The move is surprising as Varejao has not played any organized basketball since 2019, and has not played in the NBA since 2017.
The Cavaliers traded Varejao in a salary dump at the 2016 trade deadline. He joined the Golden State Warriors from there and ultimately lost in the Finals to his former team. He re-signed with Golden State, but was cut during the 2016-17 season and has not played in the NBA since. He joined Flamengo, a Brazilian team, in 2017 and remained there through 2019. He last played organized basketball for the Brazilian national team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
He played well there, averaging 10 points on 56.8 percent shooting and defending Giannis Antetokounmpo well in a win over Greece, but he attracted no professional interest afterward. He is now 38 years old, and there is no telling how much he has left in the tank physically.
But that likely isn't why the Cavaliers are signing Varejao. He was a beloved member of their locker room when they were contenders, and LeBron James even called him "one of my favorite teammates" when he returned to Cleveland in 2014. The Cavaliers are seven games out of a playoff spot as the end of the season approaches, so winning is not a priority. Varejao can help them establish a culture and close out the season on a high note.
